Lappula squarrosa (Retz.) Dumort.

The fruit are used as an antiphlogistic and insecticide in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, and Xinjiang.

Kazmi cites several gatherings (Kazmi, l.c. 511). The gathering R.R. Stewart 600 from Ziarat cited by Kazmi (1.c.) is Lappula microcarpa. Aitchison 198! (GH) is difficult to determine as it is not in fruiting stage. I have not been able to verify Crook-shanks gatherings that Kazmi mentions.

Herbs annual or biennial. Stems erect, much branched, 30-60 cm tall, densely short white hispid. Basal leaves oblong-spatulate, densely white hirsute, hairs discoid at base, base attenuate to long petiole, to ca. 7 cm × 3-9 mm (including petiole), margin entire, apex obtuse; stem leaves sessile, lanceolate to linear, shorter, narrower, flat or longitudinally flexed along midvein, base attenuate, apex acute. Inflorescences to 17 cm in fruit; bracts linear, slightly longer than fruit. Pedicel erect, ca. 3 mm in fruit, pubescent. Calyx lobes spreading or reflexed, linear, 2-3 mm at anthesis, to 5 mm in fruit, becoming lanceolate, pubescent, apex acute. Corolla light blue, funnelform to campanulate, ca. 4 mm; throat appendages trapeziform; limb 3-4 mm wide; lobes oblong-ovate. Style surpassing nutlets but not apical prickles. Nutlets ovoid, 3-4 mm, adaxially with spiny emergences or tuberculate; disc narrowly ovate to oblong-lanceolate, usually granulose, rarely smooth or keeled, with fine spiny emergences along center line; marginal glochids in 2 rows; inner glochids 1.5-2 mm, separated at base; outer row of glochids slightly shorter, usually erect. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep. 2n = 48.

Closely related to Lappula heteracantha, but with the outer series of appendages of nutlets more or less equalling the inner series.

Distribution: C. & E. Europe, URSS. Iran, Afghanistan,? Pakistan. Introduced to S. Africa and N. America.

Hillside meadows. Gansu, Hebei, W Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Xinjiang [NW Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; S Africa, SW Asia, C and E Europe, North America]

Myosotis lappula Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 131. 1753; Echinospermum lappula (Linnaeus) Lehmann; Lappula echinata Gilibert.