Meadow Salsify
Encyclopedia
Meadow Salsify Tragopogon pratensis (also known as Showy Goat's-beard or Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon) is a biannual plant in the Asteraceae
family, distributed across Europe and North America, commonly growing in fields (hence its name) and on roadsides. It is found in most of England, on the eastern and southern edges of Scotland
, and central Ireland
but not the coastal edges.
It flowers between June and October and its flowers have a diameter of 3–5 cm. The root and buds are edible, and it has a milky latex.
It differs from Vipers Grass Scorzonera humilis
in that Vipers Grass has short, pale green bracts, whereas in Goats Beard they are long and pointed.
The lower leaves are 10 to 30 cm long, lanceolate, keeled lengthwise, grey-green, pointed, hairless, with a white midrib. The upper leaves are shorter and more erect. It is the only United Kingdom dandelion type flower with grass like leaves.
The flower heads are 5 cm wide. They only open in the morning sunshine, hence the 'Jack go to bed at noon' name.
The achenes are rough, long beaked pappus
radiating outwards interwoven like a spiders web of fine white side hairs(referred to as "Blowball").
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
family, distributed across Europe and North America, commonly growing in fields (hence its name) and on roadsides. It is found in most of England, on the eastern and southern edges of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and central Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
but not the coastal edges.
It flowers between June and October and its flowers have a diameter of 3–5 cm. The root and buds are edible, and it has a milky latex.
Description
It grows 30 to 100 cm tall.It differs from Vipers Grass Scorzonera humilis
Scorzonera humilis
Scorzonera humilis, English name Viper's-grass, is a very rare perennial plant found only in Dorset, Warwick in England, and South Wales, in moist meadows.-Description:...
in that Vipers Grass has short, pale green bracts, whereas in Goats Beard they are long and pointed.
The lower leaves are 10 to 30 cm long, lanceolate, keeled lengthwise, grey-green, pointed, hairless, with a white midrib. The upper leaves are shorter and more erect. It is the only United Kingdom dandelion type flower with grass like leaves.
The flower heads are 5 cm wide. They only open in the morning sunshine, hence the 'Jack go to bed at noon' name.
The achenes are rough, long beaked pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
radiating outwards interwoven like a spiders web of fine white side hairs(referred to as "Blowball").