Andryala is a genus of annual, biennial, and perennial herbaceous plants belonging to the family Asteraceae (the daisy family), placed in the order Asterales. The genus is characterised by its dense covering of woolly or glandular hairs on stems and leaves — a feature that gives many species a distinctive grey-green or silvery appearance. Flower heads are yellow, resembling those of related genera such as Hieracium and Crepis, with all florets ligulate (ray florets only, no disc florets), a typical trait of the chicory tribe (Cichorieae). The genus has approximately 18 accepted species.
The natural range spans the Mediterranean Basin, from the Iberian Peninsula and Macaronesia (the Canary Islands and Madeira) eastward through southern Europe and North Africa into the Middle East. Several species are concentrated in Iberia and the Atlantic islands, making the genus an important element of the Mediterranean and Macaronesian flora.
Distribution
Andryala is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, with its centre of diversity in the western Mediterranean region, including the Iberian Peninsula and the Macaronesian archipelagos (Canary Islands, Madeira).
Taxonomy Notes
The genus Andryala belongs to the tribe Cichorieae within Asteraceae. GBIF recognises approximately 18 accepted species. The genus was described by Linnaeus. It is most closely allied to genera such as Hieracium, Pilosella, and Crepis within the chicory tribe.
