TORILIS AFRICANA

Family and Genus:- See- UMBELLIFERAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Torilis arvensis ssp. purpurea

Meaning:- Torilis. A meaningless name used by the French naturalist.

Michel Adanson.

Africana (L) African, from Africa

General description:- Very variable, usually erect, medium to tall, hairy annual.

Stem:-

1) Up to 100 cm. Erect, with few branches.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, (often absent at maturity) pinnate, with deeply divided segments.

2) Uppermost, 3-foliolate, with linear-lanceolate to linear segments, the central

segment very long; margin remotely serrate to subentire.

Flowers:-

1) Umbels, usually 3, reddish-purple, long-pedicellate.

2) Rays, (2-)3(-4), slender, usually forming an angle of 45°-60°.

3) Bracts, absent or one, but secondary bracts usually numerous, small.

4) Outer petals, only slightly radiate.

5) Styles, 2-3 times as long as the stylopodium.

Fruit:-

1) Ovoid, 3-6 mm; both

2) Mericarps, spiny, or the outer spiny and the inner tuberculate; rarely the whole

fruit covered with tubercles.

Key features:-

1) Leaves, coarsely divided; lobes at least 2 mm wide.

2) Styles, 2-3 times as long as the stylopodium.

3) Outer petals, only slightly radiate.

4) Rays, (2-)3(-4), slender, usually forming an angle of 45°-60°.

5) Upper leaves, usually with linear, remotely serrate to entire segments.

Habitat:- Scrub. olive groves, road embankments and ruderal habitats. 0-800(-

1400) m.

Distribution:- Greece, S Europe and SW Asia, eastwards to Afghanistan.

Somewhat widely distributed across Crete more so in the west.

Flowering time:- Apr-Aug.

Photos by:- Zacharias Angourakis