Launaea sarmentosa (Willd.) Sch.-Bip. ex Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 1: 350. 1891. Prenanthes sarmentosa Willd., Phyto. 10. t. 6. f. 2. 1794. Launaea pinnatifida Cass. in Ann. Sci. Nat. Ser. 1, 23: 85. 1831; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 3: 416. 1881.

Herbs, biennial or perennial; stems procumbent, slender, glabrous. Leaves pinnatifid, runcinate-pinnatifid or sinuate-toothed or lobed, 2 -7 x 0.4 - 1.2 cm. Flowering branches long, slender, arching from node to node and rooting at nodes. Heads 0.8 - 1.2 x 0.3 - 0.4 cm, usually at the nodes, often clustered; peduncle slender, bracteate. Involucral bracts in two to three series; outer ovate, ovate-lanceolate or ovate-oblong; 1 - 2 x 3 - 5 mm inner linear or linear-lanceolate or linear-oblong, 12 - 14 x 1 - 2 mm. Ligules yellow. Anthers yellowish. Achenes pale, 4 - 6 mm long, columnar, thickly ribbed. Pappus yellowish-white, 6 - 7 mm long, deciduous, slender.

Fl. & Fr. June - Sept.

Distrib. India: Near sandy river banks and waste-lands between 200-800 m. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil nadu, W. Bengal, Gujarat and Lakshadweep.

Pakistan.