Compilation
Crepis ephemera

An erect scapose perennial herb from a stout semi-woody taproot; rootcrowns lanate. Scapes up to c. 80 cm. tall, solitary or several, branching above, slender, finely ribbed, ± sparsely pilose below, glabrous above. Leaves 2–8, sub-rosulate, rarely also 1–2 cauline, mostly 4–5 x 1 -1.5 cm., oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, sometimes up to 15 cm. long and narrowly oblanceolate, or up to 3.5 cm. wide and narrowly obovate, apex acute to rounded, base narrowly cuneate to attenuate, margins remotely denticulate, lamina glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Capitula many, laxly corymbiform cymose or paniculate, stalks up to 26 cm. long. Involucres up to c. 11 x 7 mm. in flower, obconic-campanulate, cylindric in bud with hooded phyllaries, subtended by 2–21 subulate bracteoles which extend down the capitulum stalk. Phyllaries 2-seriate, sub-equal, 6–8(10) mm. long, linear to narrowly lanceolate, attenuate at the apex, pubescent to tomentose and papillose-glandular outside, the outer phyllaries often with a thickened ± verruculose midrib, phyllaries changing abruptly into bracteoles. Florets numerous, corollas 9–10.5 mm. long, corolla tube c. 5 mm. long, cylindrical, crisped-pilose outside; ligule erect yellow, often drying greenish, equalling or exceeding the tube in length, strap-shaped, pubescent on the back, apical lobes papillose, ligules often longer and more deeply lobed in the outer florets. Achenes 2–3.5 mm. long, narrowly obconic-turbinate, 4–5-angled, finely 12–15-ribbed; pappus of 20–30 persistent rigid barbellate setae 5–7 mm. long, often with an outer whorl of minute setae.