Japanese name: ニガナ(苦菜) Scientific name:Ixeridium dentatum subsp. dentatum
[Overview]
A perennial about 30 cm tall, found along roadsides, in grasslands and similar places.
The leaves are of two kinds, basal leaves and stem leaves, and the basal leaves remain somewhat even at flowering.
The basal leaves vary in how they are cut.
The stem leaves are alternate, and the base clasps the stem.
The stem tip bears many yellow flower heads in a corymb-like arrangement.
The flower heads consist of 5–7 ray florets, each with fine notches at the tip.
The fruit is an achene with a pappus.
[Uses]
The whole plant at flowering time is used medicinally.