Leontodon autumnalis L., Autumn Hawkbit

Account Summary

Growth form and preferred habitats

L. autumnalis is very similar to Hypochaeris radicata (Cat's-ear) in appearance, biology, ecology and distribution in B & I, Europe and worldwide, but ecologically, Autumn Hawkbit extends into rather wetter and higher ground than Cat's-ear does and, in Fermanagh, it is not quite so frequent as the latter, although it is said to be favoured by damper conditions (Sinker et al. 1983).

L. autumnalis is a polycarpic, wintergreen perennial with a thickened, branched rootstock and a flattened, rosette of pinnatifid, deeply-lobed, basal leaves, that are hairless, or with scattered, unbranched hairs that are not nearly as abundant, nor as stiff and bristly as the leaf hairs of H. radicata. An alternative English common name of the plant is 'Jagged Hawkbit', on account of its deeply, pinnately lobed leaves (Salisbury 1964). The flowering stems, 10-60 cm tall and usually branched, are decumbent at the base and then become erect. The flowering stems are leafless (ie they are scapes), but they often bear scale-like bracts on the stem below the flower-heads or capitula. The best distinguishing feature separating H. radicata from L. autumnalis remains, however, the long, tapering, receptacle scales between the florets, which apart from their yellow tips, are quite transparent – making them rather easily missed. These two similar species differ in leaf-shape (although this is remarkably variable in L. autumnalis) and also in capitulum shape: in L. autumnalis, the capitulum tapers at its base into the scape, while in H. radicata the junction between the two features a more abrupt contraction (Silverside 1990b).

Typical habitats of L. autumnalis include damp to wet (but never waterlogged) grassland, lakeshore fen, flushes, stream sides, grassy moorland, heaths, scree, open scrub, hedgebanks, quarries, roadsides and waste-ground. It can grow on a very wide range of soil types, but prefers moist, fertile, high to moderately disturbed ground with a pH reaction above 5.0 (Grime et al. 1988, 2007). It can tolerate disturbance involving grazing, cutting and trampling, but is unable to cope with much in the way of shade, being absent from woodlands and tall herbaceous vegetation. When found occurring in taller grassland, the basal leaves grow longer than normal (c 15 cm), more erect and much less lobed than they are in short turf and more open habitats. At higher altitudes, it extends into more moist or wetter growing conditions, and there is a subspecies described that is confined to such sites (see 'Variation' section, below).

The species is perfectly palatable to stock and in heavily stocked grassland, leaf rosettes are tightly appressed to the soil surface, so that flowering and fruiting then becomes suppressed, and seed production in summer-grazed pastures is, or can be, extremely limited (Grime et al. 1988, 2007). If carefully monitored, strategically timed grazing or mowing can be used to minimise the reproduction and spread of this weed in grasslands, including in lawns.

Fermanagh occurrence

L. autumnalis has been recorded in 370 Fermanagh tetrads, 70.1% of those in the VC. It has been found in every month of the year, with a peak of records being made in August.

Flowering reproduction

Despite the impression given by its autumnal specific name, L. autumnalis bears flowers from July to October, each flower-head containing 30-60 golden yellow, strap-shaped, bisexual florets, the outer ones decorated with reddish streaks beneath. The immature flower-heads are held erect (Salisbury 1964). Pollination is chiefly by bees and hoverflies and the flowers are self-incompatible (Finch 1967; Proctor & Yeo 1973). Fruiting takes place from July to October and Salisbury estimated that a large fruiting plant might produce up to 8,000 achenes (Salisbury 1964;

The achene fruits are 4-6 mm long, slightly curved, reddish-brown in colour and bear six ribs and several transverse ridges between them. They are wind-dispersed by a parachute-like pappus of 15-20 brownish-white, feathery hairs (Salisbury 1964). The pappus of L. autumnalis remains stiff when wet, an unusual circumstance amongst wind-dispersed members of this flower family, which may assist achenes to attach to the soil surface when germinating and attempting establishment (Sheldon 1974).

Autumn Hawkbit seed may either germinate in the autumn, or overwinter on or near the soil surface as a transient dormant population (Grime et al. 1981; Roberts 1986). There are a total of 21 estimates for buried seed survival of L. autumnalis in the survey of NW Europe soil seed banks, 13 of which regard it as transient, three studies considered it short-term persistent (ie surviving less than five years), two believed it long-term persistent (ie surviving more than five years) and three found seed present in soil, but could not place it in one of the previous three categories (Thompson et al. 1997).

Vegetative reproduction

In common with Hypochaeris radicata, L. autumnalis is capable of a limited degree of vegetative spread by means of its thickened, branched rootstock; both species tend to only develop small clonal patches.

Variation

L. autumnalis is not only phenotypically extremely variable in leaf and other field characteristics in response to the local environment, it is genetically variable to the extent that saltmarsh and mountain forms have been distinguished by some as var. salina (Aspegren) Lange and subsp. pratensis (Hornem.) Gremli respectively. The distinctness and status of these two segregates requires further study, but the mountain form, L. autumnalis subsp. pratensis, might well occur in Fermanagh and it should be searched for in wet, grassy flushes at high altitude. The calyx-like bracts that surround the flowerheads (ie the phyllaries) of subsp. pratensis are densely covered with long, dark hairs and the stems of the plant are mostly unbranched (Silverside 1990b; Stace 1997).

British and Irish occurrence

L. autumnalis is very common, variable, weedy and near-ubiquitous throughout B & I in a very wide range of habitats from open scrub to semi-natural grasslands, meadows and pastures, from fens and heaths, to roadside verges, rock outcrops, coastal dunes, salt-marshes, as well as in artificial, disturbed habitats, including paths, pavements, roadsides and waste-ground. It occurs at all levels from the coast up to 1,140 m on Ben Nevis in Westerness (VC 97), Scotland. Evidence from the BSBI Atlas 2020 survey shows that at the hectad level of discrimination the species population remains stable, and in disturbed habitats more closely associated with man and his activities, it probably is increasing to some extent (F.H. Perring and K.J. Walker, in: Stroh et al. 2023) (https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9h.6y5c5k, accessed 2 May 2023).

European and world occurrence

L. autumnalis belongs to the European boreo-temperate phytogeographical element and, according to Hultén & Fries (1986), it occurs as both a native and an adventive species throughout most of Europe, with the exception of parts of the S & E of the continent, plus a similar presence in W Asia. It is rare or absent in the Iberian peninsula and around most of the Mediterranean basin, although it penetrates well into the S of Italy and Greece. The present distribution shows it has spread north with agriculture from sites with open land and shores further south and it is present in S Greenland, Iceland and well within the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia. It has been introduced, probably as an impurity with agricultural grass seed, to E Asia, eastern N America and New Zealand (Hultén & Fries 1986, Map 1883).

Uses

The leaves may be used as those of Dandelion (Taraxacum spp.) and Cat's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata) for salad or green leaf vegetable, but are nowadays regarded as of no medicinal merit (Mabey 1972).

Names

The name 'Leontodon' is a combination made by the Swedish botanist Linnaeus of two Greek words, 'leon' meaning 'lion' and 'odous', 'tooth', an allusion to the toothed leaves of the 'Dandelion' from the French, 'Dent de lion', our Taraxacum officinale, which Linnaeus included in his genus Leontodon (Gilbert-Carter 1964).

The English common name 'Hawkbit' is derived, along with 'Hawkweed' (Hieracium), since the plants were for a long time confused with other yellow members of the family Asteraceae, from the Greek, 'heiras' meaning, 'hawk', referring to the ancient belief reported by Pliny (Book lxx, c. 7), "because hawks tear it apart and wet their eyes with the juice, so dispelling dimness of sight, when it comes on them" (Prior 1879). 'Apargia', a superseded name for the genus Leontodon (and perhaps also given other similar plants) was likewise derived from two Greek words meaning, 'from idleness', the implication being that where these weeds were common, the farmer had only his own idleness to thank for them (Grieve 1931).

Threats

None.

References

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