Scorzonera humilis Viper's-grass

A nationally rare yellow composite which grows in marshy fields and only known from a handful of sites in Britain, two of which are in Glamorgan. The narrow, entire leaves, which resemble those of Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), are hairy when young but become glabrous with age. They exude a copious white latex which becomes red on drying. Plants usually have an unbranched scape but occasionally individuals with one or two branches are found (see photo). It was first discovered in Britain in Dorset in 1914 and was first discovered in Wales in 1996 in wet meadows in Cefn Cribwr, near Pyle, where there is still a very large population. In West Glamorgan, there is one small population in a marshy field in Gower. The recent discovery of this species in the British Flora may suggest that it is an introduction, but its occurrence in habitats which are similar to those that it is associated with in Europe strongly suggest that it is native.

Native