Common Chicory

Flowering heads are strikingly blue, displaying an arrangement only of ray flowers. Disk flowers are absent. Each ray flower is divided into five sharp points at its outer end. Occasionally, this species displays white flowers. Involucral bracts are lance-shaped and in two layers; bracts of the inner layer are longer than those of the surrounding outer layer. Leaves are arranged individually on the stem and are sparse in number. Leaves are lance-shaped and attach directly to the stem. Petioles are lacking. Leaf margins have unevenly sized teeth, which, in smaller leaves, are most evident near the leaf base. The naked stamens and pistils, seen in the ray flowers of this species, falsely resemble disc flowers. Occurs in fields and roadsides, from July to October. Native of Europe.