Sonchus maritimus L., it is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte, 15-60 cm tall, simple or sparingly branched, glabrous plants of marshy habitat, stems usually hallow. Lower leaves glabrous, sub coriaceous, linear or linear-lanceolate, entire or sinuate toothed, petiolate. Middle and upper cauline leaves linear to oblong, sessile, auriculate, entire or weakly sinuate-toothed rarely pinnatisect, tomentose beneath when young; auricles rounded, often dentate. Capitula c. 20-30 mm in diam., in a lax corymb on elongated peduncles; base of the capilulum and upper part of the peduncle often white tomentose, eglandular hairy. Involucre 10-15 mm. Outer Involucre bracts 3-7 x 1-2 mm broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute; Inner Involucre bracts 10-12 x 2-2.5 mm., linear-lanceolate, obtuse. Ligule limb much longer than the basal tube. Cypsela 2.2-3 x 1-1.6 mm, oblong to elliptic, slightly compressed, with 4-5-longitudinal ribs, the median and the two lateral well marked, usually with broad, thick and ± obtuse margin, weakly rugose between the ribs of smooth; pappus 5.5-9 mm, deciduous.
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