Flora of New Zealand Series

upright hedge-parsley

Erect annual. Stems densely hairy above and sparsely to moderately hairy near base, solid, striate, 40-120-(200) cm high, sometimes purple tinged; hairs deflexed. Basal lvs moderately to densely hairy above and below, 1-2-pinnate, petiolate; utlimate segments ovate to lanceolate, pinnatifid and serrate, 10-40-(80) mm long, sessile or shortly petiolulate; stem lvs similar to basal but 1-pinnate or pinnately 3-foliolate toward apex with less divided segments. Umbels 2-5 cm diam., long-pedunculate, usually terminal; rays (2)-6-11, 10-20 mm long; bracts (2)-4-6, linear; bracteoles 4-7, linear. Fls few to numerous, pinkish or purplish white, 1-3 mm diam., irregular. Fr. ovoid, 3-4 mm long; all mericarps spinous; spines curved upward, hooked and pointed at tip.

N.: scattered localities in N. Auckland, Taranaki, Gisborne and Wellington Provinces; S.: locally common in coastal areas S. of Kaikoura and in N. Canterbury, and collected once from Dunedin.

Europe, N. and E. Asia, N. Africa 1957

Waste places, river beds, forest margins, coastal habitats.

FL Oct-Apr.

Upright hedge-parsley is very similar to T. arvensis and is most readily distinguished by the spine tips (Fig. 13). Both T. arvensis and T. japonica are sometimes confused with Anthriscus caucalis although even in young frs it can be seen that both Torilis spp. lack the beaked stylopodium and ring of hairs at the base of the ovary which characterise A. caucalis (Fig. 10). T. japonica has been previously recorded in N.Z. as Caucalis anthriscus.