Reichardia tingitana is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae that is distributed primarily throughout Mediterranean and West Asia.[1] It is known by the common name false sowthistle.[2]
The leaves have an alternate arrangement and are entire with serrated margins. No stipule is present on the petiole.[2]
An annual plant, its flowering period is from March to May. Like most angiosperms, its flowers are hermaphroditic. The petals are of a yellow color.[2]
As a glycophyte, it is accustomed to growing in saline soils. Arid deserts and shrub-steppes are its most common habitats.[2] It also grows well in sandy depressions in the Middle East.[3]
In France, it is a naturalized species. Another country it has been introduced to is Australia, where it is commonly recognized as a minor weed. There its main habitats are urban sites, coastal dunes and alluvial plains.[1]
It has been recorded in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and eastern Saudi Arabia.[3] Common names for it in Arabia are Arabic: huzan, Arabic: mureer, and Arabic: murar.[4] Uses in folk medicine have been recorded in the Middle East, its leaves being used to treat ailments such as constipation, colic and inflamed eyes.[3]