Scorzoneroides autumnalis, commonly called autumn hawkbit, is a perennial plant species, widespread in its native range in Eurasia (from Europe east to western Siberia),[1] and introduced in North America.[2]
The plant is sometimes called fall dandelion, because it is very similar to the common dandelion (one of the main differences being a branched stem with several capitula[3]), but "yellow fields", covered by this plant appear much later than dandelions, towards the autumn in the Eastern Europe. In the Latin synonym of the plant name, Leontodon autumnalis,[4] "leontodon" means "lion's tooth", the same as "dandelion".
Scorzoneroides autumnalis is a perennial herb growing to 35 cm high usually with branched stems and several flower-heads each about 30 mm across. The florets are all ligulate and bright yellow. The leaves are all basal and linear-oblong.[4]
Flowers in June to October producing achenes.[4]
Frequent in damp grassland[4] and meadows.[5]
The fly Tephritis leontodontis is known to attack the capitula of this plant.[6]
Abundant in Ireland and Great Britain.[5]