Cicerbita
Cicerbita is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, native to Asia and Europe. They are known commonly as blue sow thistles. The word Cicerbita is from the Italian, meaning "chickory-like", a comparison to Cichorium, the chicory genus.
Description
Cicerbita are usually perennial plants, often with rhizomes. Annual species are also known. The leaves are undivided or pinnate. The flower head has 5 to 30 florets in shades of blue or purple, or occasionally white or yellow. The achene is ribbed and has a pappus of bristles and hairs.
Systematics
The plants of this genus were included in genus Lactuca, the lettuces, until 1822, when the first of them were separated based on the morphology of the fruits. The definition of the genus is still in debate and very unclear.
Podcasts:
