FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Omalotheca norvegica, Highland Cudweed, Fjandafæla

Omalotheca norvegica; The Highland Cudweed is a taller (15-30 cm.) cudweed compared to the dwarf cudweed (lower than 10cm.). It van be found in many regions on Iceland in the lower ranges of mountains but is quite rare in the south.

A very similar scpecies is Omalotheca sylvatica - Heath Cudweed. This species is about as tall (slightly less). It grows in the same regions of the Highland cudweed but is much rarer. Differentiating characteristics are: the inflorescence is much more crowded on top of the stem in O. norvegica where this is more spread along the stem in O. sylvatica. The leaves of O. norvegica are broader (1 -2 cm) whereas they are maximally 5mm broad in O. sylvestris (the length of the leaves are more or less similar.
They are members of the Asteraceae family (= Compositae ), the daisy family. The Icelandic name of this species is Fjandafæla.

A brief introduction to Iceland plants
Text & Photographs by Dick Vuijk
- unless stated otherwise
Other Daisy family members

Other Daisy family members

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Natural History of Iceland Site  in Dutch

Natural History of Iceland Site  Dutch