Burr chervil |
Flowers, fruits and leaf of the burr chervil
| Anthriscus caucalis M. Bieb.: | |
| Blooming period: | April–June |
| Height: | 15–80, at the most 100 cm |
| Flowers: | Ø approx. 2 mm, bisexual, stamens: 5, styles: 2, very small or absent |
| Petals: | 5, white or greenish, slightly emarginate, 0.5 mm long |
| Calyx: | missing |
| Stem leaves: | alternate, triangular in outline, 2- to 3-fold pinnate or pinnatisect |
Plants annual, herbaceous.
Stem ascending to erect, branched, hollow, thin, round, glabrous, often reddish at base. Below the nodes slightly thickened.
Leaves about 10 cm long, triangular in outline, upper surface mostly glabrous, underneath with long and soft bristles, the upper leaves not narrowly filiform. Leaf sheaths villose.
Inflorescence: double umbel; umbel with 2 to 6 rays, involucre missing.
Raylet leaves (involucel) 1–5, pointed ovate, hairy at the margin, not fringed and not triangular. Umbellules with 2 to 6 flowers. Central umbellules are arranged deeper than the lateral ones.
The marginal petals are not enlarged. Petals not ciliated and not incised, only slightly emarginate. The anthers sometimes are colored orange.
The two styles are very small or absent, in any case, shorter than the stylopodium.
From the ovary after self-pollination developed a 2-piece, 4–5 mm long, egg-shaped schizocarp, covered with hooked bristles. Petals remaining on the fruit for a long time.
Beak (narrowing under the stylopodium, not to be confused with the styles) 1–2 mm long, clearly differentiated.
| Floral formula: |
| * K0 C5 A5 G(2) inferior |
Occurrence:
Disturbed
areas, wasteland, roadsides. Prefers slightly shady, moist and
nitrogenous locations.
Distribution:
Throughout
Europe, northwest Africa, Middle East. Introduced in North America.