APIUM GRAVEOLENS

Family and Genus:- See- UMBELLIFERAE

Common Name:- Celery

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Apium (L) A name used by Pliny for celery-like plants.

Graveolens (L) Strong smelling, heavily scented, rank-smelling.

General description:- Stout biennial with a strong, characteristic smell

Stems:-

1) Up to 100 cm, angled and sulcate, solid.

Leaves:-

1) 1- to 2-pinnate; segments 5-50 mm, deltate, rhombic or lanceolate, lobed and

serrate or almost crenate.

Flowers:-

1) Umbels, mostly shortly pedunculate or sessile, often leaf-opposed.

2) Rays, 4-12.

3) Bracts, and bracteoles absent.

Fruit:-

1) 1·5-2 mm, broadly ovoid. laterally compressed, with filiform ridges.

Key features:-

1) Bracteoles, absent.

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Habitat:- Damp coastal habitats, streambanks, hedges and ruderal habitats. 0-700.

Distribution:- Scattered throughout Greece. - Probably native to Europe and SW

Asia. Sparsely scattered mainly along the N coast of Crete.

Flowering time:- May-July, occasionally later.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons