Leituga (Sonchus ustulatus)

Perennial plant, up to 30 cm, herbaceous with a woody base, either stemless or with a short stem. Leaves arranged in rosettes, very irregular, pinnatipartite to pinnatisect, subsessile and light green or glaucous. Few floral heads, yellow, clustered on a terminal inflorescence. A halophytic and xerophytic plant that generally grows on the rocky shoreline. Two subspecies are known: S. ustulatus, typical of the southern coastline of Madeira, and S. maderensis, which is found along the north coast of Madeira and also on the islands of Porto Santo and the Desertas, though very rarely on the latter.