Weed Information: Crupina vulgaris (crupina, common)
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Crupina vulgaris (crupina, common)

Family: Asteraceae

Description

This slenderly erect annual prefers dry, south facing slopes and is reported from near Pendleton, Oregon; Orofino, Idaho; Chelan, Washington; two sites in California; and apparently in Massachusetts!! The seeds are iridescent brown with a dark brown pappus and resemble a dry fly for trout fishing. This is a federal noxious weed: report all sightings!

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • Red (or pink)
  • Purple
  • Red-purple
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Cyme (simple or branched)
  • Head
  • Panicle
Number of Petals
  • 0 (no petals)
  • 5 petals
  • more than 10 petals
Petal Separation
  • Completely free to base
  • United > 75% of length
Petal Tip
  • Pointed
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers regular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • 7 mm (.28 inch)
  • 8 mm (.32 inch)
  • 9 mm (.36 inch)
  • 1.0 cm (.40 inch)
  • 1.5 cm (.6 inch)
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • 7 mm (.28 inch)
  • 8 mm (.32 inch)
  • 9 mm (.36 inch)
  • 1.0 cm (.40 inch)
  • 1.5 cm (.60 inch)
Number of Sepals
  • sepals lacking
  • 5 sepals
  • 6 sepals
  • 7 sepals
  • 8 sepals
  • 9 sepals
  • 10 sepals
  • more than 10 sepals
Sepal Separation
  • Completely free to base
Sepal Tip
  • Pointed
Flower Sex
  • Bisexual (perfect)
Number of Styles
  • 1 style
Number of Stamens
  • 5 stamens
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Anthers united, syngynoecious

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
Number of Carpels
  • 1 carpel
Ovary Position
  • Inferior (epigynous)
Fruit Type
  • Achene
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
  • 6 mm (.24 inch)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement
  • Alternate
Leaf Type
  • Pinnately dissected
  • Simple (including lobed leaves)
Stipules
  • Lacking
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Pinnate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole absent (leaf sessile)
  • Petiole < 25% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.60 inches)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.60 - 4.0 inches)
Leaf Width
  • 5 - 10 mm (.20 - .40 inch)
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.6 inches)
Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)
  • Lanceolate
  • Linear or filiform
  • Oblanceolate
  • Ovate
  • Pinnately lobed
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Entire
  • Lobed
  • Parted
  • Serrate
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Acute (cuneate)
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Acuminate (attenuate)
  • Acute
  • Rounded (obtuse)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Glandular
  • Scabrous (like sand paper)
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice NOT milky (watery)
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Annual
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Erect, columnar (narrow)
Plant Height at Maturity
  • 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
  • 4 - 6 dm (1.3 - 2.0 feet)
  • 6 - 8 dm (2.0 - 2.6 feet)
  • 8 - 10 dm (2.6 - 3.3 feet)
Wind Dissemination
  • Not wind disseminated
  • Fruit, seed, or spore wind borne
Moisture Regime
  • Mesic
  • Arid
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Stem Cross Section
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem leafless
  • Stem leaves greatly reduced
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Tap Root

US State
  • Massachusetts
  • California
  • Idaho
  • Oregon
  • Washington

  • Selected Weeds of Oregon, 1985 and 1989 Supplement (s) Oregon State Dept. of Agriculture, See page: s46
  • Weeds of California and other Western States, 2007 (ISBN 13: 978-1-879906-69-3) See Page: 299
  • Weeds of the West, 1992 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 126
  • Weeds of the West, 2000 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 128
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 X
  • Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X
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