Jacobaea vulgaris is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.
Usually a biennial and sometimes perennial herb, reaching a height of 30 to 100 centimeters. In the first year, a rosette of leaves about 20 centimeters long is formed. Leaves lyre-shaped, pinnate. Stem with inflorescences develops only in the second year. The heads of yellow flowers have a diameter of about 15 to 25 millimeters. The achene is crowned by a bang.
Growing form: Biennial or perennial herb. Rootstock short, erect.
Height: 30–80 cm (12–32 in.). Stem branched, deep-grooved, sparsely hairy, reddish brown.
Flower: Flowers form 15–25 mm (0.6–1 in.) wide, single flower-like capitula surrounded by involucral bracts. Capitulum flowers yellow, ray-florets tongue-like; disk florets tubular, small. Stamens 5. Gynoecium composed of 2 fused carpels. Involucre semi-spherical, involucral bracts 1 row, narrowly ovate, tapered, with membranous margins, virtually glabrous, green, dark-tipped; outer bracts at base of involucre 2–5, small, short, very narrow. Capitula quite dense, borne in a corymbose cluster.
Leaves: Alternate, basal leaves and lower stem leaves short-stalked, upper stalkless, slightly amplexicaul. Basal leaves large, usually withered by flowering time. Blade 1–2 times pinnately lobed, underside usually sparsely hairy, lobes large-toothed, often roundish-tipped.
Fruit: Round, ridged, glabrous–shortly haired, approx. 2 mm (0.8 in.) long achene with unbranched hairs on tip.
Habitat: Roadsides, waste ground, railway embankments, ballast soil deposits, harbours, yards, meadows.
Flowering time: July–September
This plant might be poisonous
