Cichorium L.

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit

Annual, biennial or perennial herbs with widely divaricate branches and pedicels

Morphology Leaves

Leaves rosulate and cauline, simple and denticulate to runcinatte-pinnatifid and dentate, glabrous to setose or multicellular, and sometimes glandular-hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula homogamous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucre cylindrical, phyllaries biseriate, outer series somewhat to considerably broader and ± indurate at base in fruit, variable in length in relation to the inner; receptacle flat, naked

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corollas bright sky-blue, rarely white

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes glabrous, obovoid to obpyramidal, ± 5–angled, truncate at apex, pappus of 1–2 rows of short obtuse scales, rarely bristly.

Note

The basally indurate phyllaries apparently serve to retain the achenes, clasping them until softened by rain.

Distribution

Six species in Europe, the Mediterranean region, SW Asia and NE tropical Africa; 2 species in Iraq.

Etymology

Cichorium (from a latinized version of an old Ar. name for the plant, possibly cognate with the Kurdish CHAQCHAQA (q.v.), now known in Arabic as هندباء HINDIBA).