Dittrichia Greuter
Genus composed of 2 species, traditionally placed under the genus Inula L. Both present in North Africa, one is herbaceous [D. graveolens (L.) Greuter] and the other woody (D. viscosa).
A closely related species (formerly in the same genus Inula) is Limbarda crithmoides (L.) Dumort., (Inula crithmoides L.) [Ara. (Egypt): Hatab zeiti]. Smaller in size, up to 0.8(1) m in height, also with woody stems and somewhat tortuous at the base, then very upright and less woody until they become herbaceous. Unlike D. viscosa, it is a glabrous plant, with leaves 2-6 × 0.2-0.8 cm, fleshy, linear, with entire margin or with tridentate apex. Achenes slightly smaller than those of D. viscosa (1.5-2.5 mm), with pappus formed by scabrid hairs, free at the base. It is found in North Africa from Morocco to Egypt in littoral marshes and rocky outcrops and inland humid areas with brackish or saline soils. Common and widespread species. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Updated by: B. Valdés & J. Charco.