Golden samphire

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|name = Golden samphire

|image = Inula crithmoides.jpg

|genus = Limbarda

|species = crithmoides

|authority = (L.) Dumort.

|synonyms =

• Eritheis maritima Gray
• Inula crithmoides L.
• Jacobaea crithmoides (L.) Merino
• Inula acutifolia Pasq., syn of subsp. longifolia

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web

|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=Limbarda+crithmoides

|title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species

|accessdate=13 January 2015}}

}}

The golden samphire (Limbarda crithmoides) is a perennial coastal species, which may be found growing on salt marsh or sea cliffs across western and southern Europe and the Mediterranean.{{cite web

|url=http://www.tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-38989-synthese |title=Inule fausse criste, Limbarda crithmoides (L.) Dumort. with photo and French distribution map|work=Tela Botanica |access-date=16 October 2022 |language=French}}{{cite web |url=http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=limbarda+crithmoides |title=Flora Italiana, Enula bacicci, Golden Samphire, Limbarda crithmoides (includes photos and European distribution map) |work=Altervista |access-date=16 October 2022 |language=Italian}}{{cite web |url=http://www.maltawildplants.com/ASTR/Inula_crithmoides.php |work=Malta Wild Plants |title=Comprehensive profile for Inula crithmoides |access-date=16 October 2022}}{{cite web |url=http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Limbardacrithmoides_page.htm |work=Flowers in Israel |title=Limbarda crithmoides, Inula crithmoides, Jacobaea crithmoides, Eritheis maritima, Golden samphire, בן-טיון בשרני , طيون ملحيطيون ملحي |access-date=16 October 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://data.nbn.org.uk/Taxa/NBNSYS0000004398 |work=National Biodiversity Network, Natural History Museum, Joint Nature Conservation Committee |title=Inula crithmoides L. [Golden-samphire]] includes links plus distribution map for United Kingdom and Irish Republic |access-date=16 October 2022}}

Golden samphire has a tufted habit, and the plant may grow up to 1 m tall. It has narrow fleshy green to yellow green leaves and large flower heads, with six yellow ray florets which may be up to {{convert|1.5|-|2.5|cm|0|abbr=on}} across. The flowers are self-fertile (able to pollinate themselves) and may also be pollinated by bees, flies and beetles. They bloom between June and October and can smell like shoe polish.Chris Gibson {{google books|GC_BBQ1cRnwC|Seashore: A Unique Photographic Guide to the Coastal Wildlife of Britain and Europe (2008)|page=14}} {{ISBN|9781405328623}}