Common Crupina, Asteraceae (Sunflower family)

Common crupina is a fall-germinating annual. The fleshy cotyledon has a red or purple midrib. Rosette leaves are obovate with entire to slightly toothed margins. Older rosette leaves and stem leaves are pinnately to bipinnately lobed. Margins of lobes are armed with short, stiff spines giving leaves a coarse, rough texture when touched. Stem leaves are alternate, sessile and progressively smaller toward the stem apex. Mature plant height varies from 1 to 3 feet. Main stem terminates in one to several short flowering branches; additional flowering branches originate in upper leaf axils. One to 5 flower heads produced on each branch. Heads are norrow, cylindric (3 to 4 times longer than wide) and topped with pink, lavender or purple flowers. A distinct ring of dark, stiff bristles encircle the broad end of the seed giving the appearance of a fishing dry fly.

Common crupina is native to the Mediterranean region. Found in range and disturbed non-crop lands in Idaho, Washington, California and Oregon. The primary Pacific Northwest habitat of common crupina is southern slopes in steep canyon grasslands. Flowering usually occurs from June to July.

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