Coltsfoot

Description:

Perennial herb. Flowering stem develops in spring before leaves. Rootstock long, branching, scaly. Flowering stem 5–30 cm, extending in fruit. Stem branchless, felted. Single flower-like approx. 1.5 cm capitula surrounded by involucral bracts. Capitula flowers bright yellow, ray-florets in many rows, tongue-like; disc florets tubular, small. Flowering stem leaves alternate, scale-like, reddish brown. Proper leaves a basal rosette, long-stalked.

Habitat:

Broad-leaved forests, swamps, springs, stream banks, shores, ditches, arable land, disused fields , meadows, roadsides, yards, gardens, heaps of earth, wasteland

Notes:

Called leskenlehti in Finnish, widow's leaf the direct translation. This picture was taken at Saunalahti building site, Espoo.