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- Crepis setosa
Crepis setosa — bristly hawk's-beard
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Facts
Bristly hawk's-beard is introduced from Europe, and has a minor presence in North America. An annual, it is distinguished from similar species by its bristly stems and leaves and beaked seeds.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Vermont
 
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- 
                                
                                    - the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
 
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has ray flowers only, meaning all of the individual flowers of the flower head have a strap-shaped ray, which may or may not have teeth at the very tip of the ray
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 50–300 mm
- Disk flower number
- 0
- 
                        Flowers- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
 - Bract color
- the bracts are not colored or tinged with with pink, red or purple
 - Bract cycle number
- there are two main cycles of bracts
 - Bract inner side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their inner surfaces
 - Bract keels
- there is one distinct keel on the bracts
 - Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are hairy, with simple hairs on their outer surface
 - Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
 - Bract shape
- 
                                
                                    - the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
 
 - Bract texture
- the bracts appear leathery or hardened
 - Bract tip shape
- 
                                
                                    - the tips of the bracts acute (have a sharp point)
- the tips of the bracts are acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
 
 - Bracts
- there are at least two distinct forms of bracts in different cycles
 - Disk flower color
- NA
 - Disk flower lobe number
- NA
 - Disk flower number
- 0
 - Disk flower proportions
- NA
 - Disk flower reproductive parts
- NA
 - Disk flower shape
- NA
 - Flower head number
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
 - Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
 - Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
 - Flower head platform surface
- NA
 - Flower head position
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
 - Flower head profile
- 
                                
                                    - the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
 
 - Flower head shape
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
 - Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has ray flowers only, meaning all of the individual flowers of the flower head have a strap-shaped ray, which may or may not have teeth at the very tip of the ray
 - Height of flower head base
- 6–10 mm
 - Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
 - Inflorescence shape
- 
                                
                                    - the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
- the inflorescence is not flat-topped but appears rounded, with some flower heads distinctly higher than others
 
 - Number of bracts at flower head base
- 12–16
 - Ovary beak
- there is a beak on the ovary
 - Ovary cross-section
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
 - Ovary hair type
- 
                                
                                    - the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- the ovary has no hairs on it
 
 - Ovary hairs
- 
                                
                                    - the ovary has hairs on it
- the ovary has no hairs on it
 
 - Ovary lines or ribs
- there are ten or more ribs visible on the ovary
 - Ovary profile
- in profile, the ovary is another shape
 - Ray flower color
- yellow
 - Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have both carpels and stamens
 - Ray flowers
- 
                                
                                    - 11-15
- 16-25
- 6-10
 
 - Ray length
- 8–10 mm
 - Reproductive system
- all the flowers on the plant contain both carpels and stamens
 - Scale tip
- NA
 - Swelling at base of flower head
- the peduncles are not swollen, or only slightly
 - Width of flower head base
- 4–10 mm
 
- 
                        Fruits or seeds- Number of pappus parts
- 11 or more
 - Ovary beak length
- 1–2 mm
 - Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1–2 mm
 - Seed hair tuft bases
- the pappus hairs are not attached to one another near the base
 - Seed hair tuft color
- the pappus hairs are white or off-white
 - Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
 - Seed hair tuft length
- 4 mm
 - Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
 - Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
 - Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
 
- 
                        Glands or sap- Sap
- the sap is milky and opaque, and may be white or colored
 
- 
                        Growth form- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
 - Plant lifespan
- 
                                
                                    - the plant is annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- the plant is biennial, it appears as either first year (non-reproductive) plants or second year plants with flowers or fruit
 
 - Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
 - Underground organs
- there is a thickened taproot on the plant
 
- 
                        Leaves- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 - Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 - Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
 - Leaf blade base
- 
                                
                                    - the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
 
 - Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
 - Leaf blade edges
- 
                                
                                    - the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
 
 - Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
 - Leaf blade length
- 50–300 mm
 - Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
 - Leaf blade tip
- 
                                
                                    - the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
 
 - Leaf blade width
- Up to 80 mm
 - Leaf disposition
- the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves
 - Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
 - Leaf stalk
- 
                                
                                    - the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
 
 - Leaf tip extension
- NA
 - Leaf type
- leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 - Specific leaf type
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
 
- 
                        Place- Habitat
- terrestrial
 - New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Vermont
 
 - Specific habitat
- 
                                
                                    - man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
 
 
- 
                        Stem, shoot, branch- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
 - Stem internode hair direction
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
 - Stem internode hair type
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
 - Stem internode hairs
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
 
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
None
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
5. Crepis setosa Haller f. E
bristly hawk’s-beard. CT, VT. Fields, roadsides, disturbed soil.
 
                         
                         
                         
                        ![Flowers: Crepis setosa. ~ By Gerry Carr. ~ Copyright © 2025 Gerry Carr. ~ gdcarr[at]comcast.net ~ Oregon Flora Image Project - www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/ofp/ofp_index.htm](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/crepis-setosa-fl-gcarr1.jpg) 
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