Atractylis serrata Pomel, it is an annual, prostrate or procumbent, slender, adpressed cobwebby, canescent or glabrescent, branched from the neck; branches up to 60 cm long. Basal leaves up to 25 x 5 mm, oblanceolate, soft prickly toothed. Cauline leaves up to 40 x 2-3 mm, linear-lanceolate, soft prickly toothed. Capitula solitary at the end of branches, radiate, more than 20 mm in diam. (include. ray florets), Involucre ovoid-oblong, up to 25 mm long and 10-15 mm in diam. (at its widest points). Supplementary involucral bracts sub 2-rowed, 6-12, linear, up to 22 mm long, erecto-patent or slightly erect arcuate, at least some pectinato-bipinnatifid, with lobes soft, simple, spiny; spines brown to dark colored. Outermost involucral bracts 6.5-7 x 1.5 mm, oblong, dorsally densely hairy, carious margined, gradually acuminate; acumin soft, scarious, brown to dark coloured. Involucral bract of the 2nd row 8-9 x 3 mm, broadly lanceolate, dorsally densely hairy, broadly scarious margined, sometimes violaceous near the apex; apex gradually acuminate; acumin soft, scarious, with ± distinct, brown midrib. InvolucraI bracts of the 3rd & 4th row 9-12.5 x3.5-4 mm, similar to the proceeding one but hairs restricted in a triangular spot below the scarious, soft apex, and mid-nerve distinct, somewhat prolonged above the scarious area, dark coloured, and scarious margins usually violaceous below the apex. Involucral bracts of the 5th row 15-16 x 3 mm, lanceolate, slightly hairy at the back below the apex, and violet margined; margin broadly scarious; apex gradually tapered into a soft scarious, acute acumine, with distinct, brown or dark coloured mid-rib; mid-rib slightly prolonged above the searious part of the apex. Inner most involucral bracts 17-17.5 x 2 mm, linear, broadly scarious, glabrous, apex similar to the preceding ones. Ray florets (8-) 13-14. Corolla 20 mm long, violet or pink-violet; basal tube up to 10 mm long; limb 8-10 x 2 mm, unequally 5-lobed. Disc florets numerous, cream or white. Corolla up to 10 (-12) mm long, 5-lobed. Ovary covered with brown, woolly hairs; hairs covering the base of the pappus; pappus of 1-row of plumose setae; setae nearly equal to the corolla tube
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