Scorzonera hispanica L., Sp. Pl. 791 1753. (Syn: Myscolus hispanicus (L.) Endl.; Scorzonera communis ; Scorzonera denticulata Lam.; Scorzonera edulis Moench; Scorzonera glastifolia Willd.; Scorzonera hispanica subsp. glastifolia (Willd.) Arcang.; Scorzonera sativa Gaterau);
England, Norway, Sweden, France, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Germany,
Switzerland (I), Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Serbia & Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, European Turkey, Morocco, USA (I) (California (I)), India (c), Hispaniola (I), Puerto Rico (I) as per Catalogue of Life; Common name: Black Salsify, Spanish salsify, Black oyster plant, serpent root, viper’s herb, viper’s grass
Unid from Ladakh: Flower from Nubra Valley, Ladakh, at 3100 m. Composits are often difficult without the photograph of fruit, which normally is not taken unless you are a keen taxonomist. At the same time with just the fruit you can identify the whole plant especially in the group with ligulate heads (kindly see my paper published in 1972, enclosed here). In this case perhaps clue lies in involucre bracts which are in more than two series and bracts are triangular. With ligulate florets only in the It points to Scorzonera. Wild species S. divaricata has zigzag stems and very narrow.
This plant to me appears Scorzonera hispanica, probably a cultivation escape.
I think you are on the dot!
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