As its name suggests this plant flowers in late summer and can be very common but quite variable. These specimens were very vigorous and healthy easily 0.5 m tall. They are sometimes confused with Hypochaeris radicata (Cat's-ear) because the leaves are very variable and can be a similar shape.

Sell and Murell called this plant Scorzoneroides autumnalis and from their descriptions this variety could well be var latifolia. Since then Scorzoneroides has been accepted as the new genus name for this plant by Clive Stace in New Flora of the British Isles Edition 3 (2010) which is the reference text for this site.

Close up photos for diagnostic ID

Uncultivated land after building works, Helsby. Cheshire 1st August 2007

Added on February 2nd 2008, updated 26th June 2010, updated 1st February 2012