Bristly Oxtongue

Helminthotheca echioides

Helminthotheca echioides, known as bristly oxtongue, is a sprawling annual or biennial herb native to Europe and North Africa. It was originally placed within the genus Picris but is often separated within the small genus Helminthotheca alongside a few other plants which also have the distinctive outer row of bracts around the flowerheads. It is a ruderal plant, found on waste ground and agricultural soils around the world, and in some places it is considered a troublesome weed.

Scientific name

Helminthotheca echioides

Family

Asteraceae