TORILIS NODOSA

Family and Genus:- See- UMBELLIFERAE

Common Names:- Knotted hedge-parsley

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

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

Michel Adanson.

Nodosa (L) Many jointed,conspicuously jointed, knotty.

General description:- Spreading or decumbent annual,

Stems:-

1) 10-40 cm, rather rigid, with long intemodes, slightly retrorse-hispid.

Leaves:-

1) Usually 2-pinnatisect, with lanceolate, dentate ultimate segments.

Flowers:-

1) Umbels, sessile to shortly pedunculate, leaf-opposed;

2) Rays, very short, generally concealed by the flowers or fruit, giving the umbels a

capitate appearance.

3) Bracts, absent;

a) bracteoles, exceeding the subsessile flowers.

4) Petals, minute, pinkish-white.

5) Fruiting styles, 0.4-1.5 mm

Fruit:-

1) Ovoid, 2-3 mm;

a) outer, mericarp, with straight, patent spines.

b) inner, with tubercles.

Key features:-

1) Umbels, mostly lateral. leaf-opposed.

2) Plant, usually procumbent.

5) Rays, very short, concealed by the flowers or fruit.

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Habitat:- Sandy and gravelly beaches, dry open shrubby vegetation, field margins,

scrub and ruderalised habitats. 0-1300 m.

Distribution:- Throughout Greece, but less common in the interior nort. - W & C

Europe, Mediterranean area. widespread in SW Asia to Pakistan. Widespread

across Crete.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton