Lactuca graciliflora DC., Prodr. 7: 139. 1838; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 3: 406. 1881. Prenanthes graciliflora Wallich nom. nud.

Herbs, annual or biennial; stems 80 - 150 cm high, erect, glabrous or with very minute hairs. Leaves 5 - 15 x 2 - 5 cm, membranous, pubescent; lower leaves deltoid or triangular, pinnate or pinnatifid with one pair of pinnule; uppermost leaves minute, ovate or lanceolate, sessile. Inflorescence terminal, panicled or paniculate raceme. Heads very narrow, 1 - 1.3 x 0.1 - 0.2 cm, drooping; peduncle small, slender. Outer involucral bracts ovate, 1 - 1.5 x 0.5 - 1.0 mm, glabrous; inner linear-oblanceolate 9 - 10 x 1 - 1.5 mm. Ligules pink or pinkish-purple. Achenes yellowish brown, oblanceolate or narrowly oblong, 3.5 - 4 mm long, constricted at tip into a stout beak, smooth. Pappus pale whitish, 5 - 6 mm long, deciduous, slightly longer than the achenes.

Fl. & Fr. Oct.- Dec.

Distrib. India: W. Himalayas, E. Himalayas, on moist shady slopes in temperate, broad leaved forests, 2000-3500 m. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim.

Nepal and Malaya.