SPECIES DESCRIPTION
FERULA COMMUNIS subsp. COMMUNIS
Including:- Subsp. glauca, differing from subsp. communis with the ultimate
segments1-3 mm wide, green above and glaucous beneath. and as a chasmophyte
in limestone cliffs.
Family and Genus:- See- UMBELLIFERAE
Common Names:- Giant fennel
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ferula nodiflora, Bubon rigidior, Ferula anatriches,
Ferula brevifolia.
Meaning:- Ferula (L) Staff Pliny's name for giant fennel.
Communis (L) Growing in clumps, common
General description:- Very robust, erect perennial.
Stem:-
1) 1.5-3 m tall, occasionally more, up to 10 cm in diam. terete in cross section.
hollow. very robust, stout, rather pungent.
Leaves:-
1) With large, conspicuous, coriaceous, sheathing bases.
a) lower, broadly triangular in outline, up to 40 x 30 cm, several times pinnate
into linear ultimate segments 10-40 mm.
b) upper, becoming progressively reduced to a large sheath with or without a
small blade, conspicuous especially just before flowering.
Flowers:-
1) Symmetrical radially, 2.5 mm diam. joined together into umbels from 4-8 cm
diam. bright yellow.
2) Sepals, absent.
3) Rays, 20 to 40 rays.
4) Bracts, absent at the base of the main umbel.
a) bracteoles, some secondary, narrow, linear to lanceolate, quickly deciduous.
Fruit:-
1) 10-16 mm, broadly oblong, compressed, finally dark brown, with lateral wings
1-1.5 mm wide.
Key features:-
1) Sheaths of uppermost leaves, very large, situated close beneath and enveloping
the developing umbels.
2) Rays, of terminal umbel, (15-)20-40.
3) Leaf-lobes, up to 50 mm, not more than 1 mm wide, without distinctly revolute
margins.
Habitat:- Generally a conspicuous and characteristic weedspecies of roadsides,
field margins and archaeological sites. 0-900 m. locally gregarious.
Distribution:- Mediterranean region eastwards to Cyprus. Limited distribution on
Crete, mainly central west and east.
Flowering time:- End of Mar to May.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
