Crepis

Crepis
This article is about the genus of plant. For the bryozoan genus, see Crepis (bryozoan).
Hawksbeard
Crepis sibirica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Cichorieae
Genus: Crepis
L.

Crepis, commonly known in some parts of the world as hawksbeard or hawk's-beard (but not to be confused with the related genus Hieracium similarly appellated), is a genus of about 200 annual and perennial flowering plants of the family Asteraceae superficially resembling the dandelion, the most conspicuous difference being that Crepis usually has branching scapes with multiple heads (though solitary heads can occur). The name Crepis derives from Greek, meaning "shoe".

Species can be found all through the Northern Hemisphere and tropical Africa.

Crepis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the broad-barred white moth. The fly Tephritis formosa is known to attack the capitula of this plant.[1]

In Crete, Greece the leaves of Crepis commutata which is called glykosyrida (γλυκοσυρίδα) is eaten raw, boiled, steamed or browned in salads. Another two species on the same island, Crepis vesicaria, called kokkinogoula (κοκκινογούλα), lekanida (λεκανίδα) or prikousa (πρικούσα) and a local variety called maryies (μαργιές) or pikrouses (πικρούσες) have both its leaves and tender shoots eaten boiled by the locals.

Selected species

References

  1. ^ White, I.M. (1984). Tephritid Flies (Diptera: Tephritidea).. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. 10 pt 5a. Royal Entomological Society of London. pp. 134 pp. ISSN 546 68 2 0901 546 68 2. 

External links


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