Cichorium
L.
Herbs, annual or perennial; stems glabrous or hispid with divaricate, sometimes
spinescent branches, angled or grooved, rigid. Leaves variable, pinnatifid, runcinate-pinnatifid or denticulate, oblong, oblong-lanceolate-oblanceolate; petioled or sessile;
upper leaves cordate-amplexicaul. Heads cylindric, erect, terminal and axillary, clustered;
peduncle thickened. Involucral bracts unequal; outer ovate or ovate-lanceolate, usually
bispid; inner linear-lanceolate, hispid. Ligules blue, 5-toothed. Stamens 5, appendaged;
anthers introrse, slender, base sagittate. Style slender, with two stigmatic branches.
Achenes glabrous, subcompressed, angled, many ribbed or striate, base contracted,
truncate at the tip. Pappus pale 2 - 3 seriate, soft, pale, short. Receptacle flat, usually
naked.
In tropical, subtropical to temperate regions of the old world; ca 10 species, 2 in India.
Literature. SCHICHEVA, L.B. (1935). Cichorium in Bull. Sppl. Bot. & Pl. Breed. Ser. XI, 2: 63: 120. STEBBINS, G.L. Jr. (1933). New classification of the Cichorieae, family Compositae. Madrono 12: 65 - 81.
In tropical, subtropical to temperate regions of the old world; ca 10 species, 2 in India.
Literature. SCHICHEVA, L.B. (1935). Cichorium in Bull. Sppl. Bot. & Pl. Breed. Ser. XI, 2: 63: 120. STEBBINS, G.L. Jr. (1933). New classification of the Cichorieae, family Compositae. Madrono 12: 65 - 81.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
| 1a. Peduncle of terminal head not or slightly thickened at apex; pappus scales 4-5 mm long | 2. Cichorium intybus |
| b. Peduncle of terminal head conspicuously thickened; pappus scales 5-20 mm long | 1. Cichorium endivia |
