苦菜是一年生草本或略成半灌木状，植株有苦香气。茎单生或少数，灰白色，基

苦菜是一年生草本或略成半灌木状，植株有苦香气。茎单生或少数，灰白色，基部稍木质化，上部萆质，并有少数短的分枝，叶厚纸质，上面被灰白色短柔毛，基部通常无假托叶或极小的假托叶；上部叶与苞片叶羽状半裂、头状花序椭圆形，花冠管状或高脚杯状，外面有腺点，花药狭线形，花柱与花冠近等长或略长于花冠，花冠紫色。花果期4-7月。

Bitter cabbage is an annual herb or slightly semi shrubby, and the plant has a bitter aroma. The stem is solitary or few, gray white, the base is slightly lignified, the upper part is qualitative, and there are a few short branches, the leaves are thick and papery, covered with gray white pubescence, and the base usually has no false stipules or very small false stipules; The upper leaves and bracts are feathery cleft, the head inflorescence is oval, the Corolla is tubular or goblet shaped, there are glandular spots outside, the anther is narrow and linear, the style and corolla are nearly equal to or slightly longer than the corolla, and the Corolla is purple. The flowering and fruiting period is from April to July.

Saussurea involucrata is an annual herb or slightly semi-shrub-like, with bitter fragrance. Stems are solitary or few, grayish white, slightly lignified at the base, with a few short branches at the upper part, thick papery leaves, grayish white pubescent on the upper part, and usually no stipules or tiny stipules at the base; The upper leaves and bracts are pinnately cleft, the flower heads are oval, the corolla is tubular or goblet-shaped, there are glandular spots outside, the anthers are narrowly linear, the style is nearly as long as or slightly longer than the corolla, and the corolla is purple. Flowering and fruiting period is from April to July.