Cichorium intybus L.

Perennial rosette herb. Stems erect, branched above, finely ribbed, with short crisped hairs or glabrous, 40–120 cm tall. Lvs with crisped hairs at least on midrib beneath, ciliolate on margin. Rosette and lower stem lvs petiolate, oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, rarely elliptic, simple and toothed to shallowly to ± deeply pinnatifid, 10–30 × (1)–2–7–(15) cm; margin dentate. Upper lvs sessile, becoming less lobed, lanceolate with amplexicaul base, distantly toothed, smaller than lower lvs. Capitula in sessile clusters or terminal on short peduncles 2–6–(12) cm long and 1.5–2 mm thick. Involucre (8)–11–13 mm long; bracts with sparse long glandular hairs or glabrous, erecto-patent, enclosing achenes tightly at fruiting. Florets few; corolla usually blue, rarely white, c. 2× length of involucre; tube much < ligule. Achenes angular-obconic, flat at apex, glabrous, pale or mottled, smooth or very finely rugulose, (2)–2.5–3 mm long; pappus scales 0.1–0.3 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: (Oct.)–Dec.–Mar.–(Apr.); Fruiting: Jan.–May–(Aug.)