Ixeris polycephala Cass. in Dict. Sci. Nat. 24: 50. 1822. Lactuca polycephala (Cass.) Benth. & Hook.f. Gen. Pl. 2: 526. 1873; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 3: 410. 1881.

Herbs, annual, flaccid; stems (flowering branches) 12 - 80 cm high, erect, glabrous, solitary or branched. Leaves variable, 4 - 27 x 0.5 - 2.0 cm, membranous; radical leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, entire, sinute-toothed or half pinnatifid, petioled; cauline leaves linear, linear-oblong or lanceolate, sagittate at base, sessile. Heads 0.4 - 0.8 x 0.3 - 0.5 cm; peduncle 0.5 - 1.5 cm, erect. Outer involucral bracts ovate, 2.5 - 1 x 5 - 0.6 mm; inner linear-oblanceolate or linear-oblong, 4 - 5 x 1 - 2 mm, glabrous. Ligules yellow. Anthers yellowish or pinkish. Achenes pale brown or red brown, elliptic, 4 - 5 mm long, smooth. Pappus white, 4 - 5 mm long, simple.

Fl. & Fr. Nov.- May

Distrib. India: Along streams and also as common weed in the agricultural fields, upto 2000 m. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, W. Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Meghalaya.

China and Japan.