Spreading Mouse-ear-Hawkweed - Pilosella flagellaris subsp. flagellaris

Very similar to the more common Mouse-ear-hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum), but distinguished because Pilosella flagellaris subsp flagellaris can have two or more flower heads produced from one stem.  The subspecies flagellaris is believed to be the only subspecies found in VC55.

Pilosella officinarum known as Mouse-ear-hawkweed is similar but only has solitary flowerheads

subsp. bicapitata now called Shetland Mouse-ear-hawkweed is very similar, but not thought to occur in VC55

There are other similar garden escapes with multiple flowerheads.

The County Recorder has asked for a specimen of this plant to be retained for verification

subsp. flagellaris is found on grassy roadside and railway banks; an escape from cultivation 

Flowers May to July.

Perennial.

There are two subspecies: subsp flagellaris (Spreading Mouse-ear Hawkweed) is a garden escape and is occasionally naturalised (our plant is probably this)  Subsp. bicapitata is a very rare native species found in a few locations in Shetland.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 1 of the 617 tetrads.

In the current checklist (Jeeves 2011) subsp. flagellaris is listed as Alien; disturbed ground; rare