Fumaria L.
Glabrous herbs; lvs dissected, usually glaucous or dull. Only the upper petal spurred; fls white or pink with conspicuous dark red, purple or black tips to at least the inner petals. Ovules 1, or 1 on each placenta. Fr. a 1-seeded nutlet.
Key
2
Corolla white with dark red to black tips, flushing pink with age; pedicels of old fls and frs recurved
Corolla pink to purplish, even when young, with purple or black tips; pedicels erect to spreading, never recurved
3
Infl. > 20-flowered, with rachis > pedicel; fr. rugose when dry; plants usually tufted, ± erect
Infl. < 15-flowered, with rachis usually < or = pedicel; fr. smooth when dry; plants scrambling
4
Sepals broader than corolla, 2.5-4 × 2.5-3.5 mm; bracts = or > fruiting pedicels; fr. as broad as long, subacute to rounded at apex
Sepals narrower than corolla, 2-2.5 × 0.7-1 mm; bracts <, or rarely almost =, fruiting pedicels; fr. broader than long, truncate to retuse at apex
c. 60 spp., mainly Europe and Mediterranean. Naturalised spp. 5.
Important characters for identification of the spp. are the shape of the lower petal (best seen when fresh), and the rugosity of the fr. (best seen when dry). Small pale cleistogamous fls formed in unfavourable conditions may be a source of confusion, but lower petal and fr. characters are quite distinctive, at least for the spp. at present occurring in N.Z. Fls of all Fumaria spp. in N.Z. are illustrated in Plate 14.
