Flora of New Zealand Series

angelica

Stout, fleshy biennial or short-lived perennial with faint aniseed odour. Stems sparsely puberulent, hollow, grooved, striate, up to 60-(100) cm high. Basal lvs glabrous, 2-3-pinnate, petiolate; ultimate segments ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, serrate, sometimes lobed or pinnatisect, c. 2-7-(15) cm long, ± sessile, dark glossy green and recurved when fresh; stem lvs similar to basal, but 1-3-pinnate and shortly petiolate. Umbels (5)-10-20 cm diam., flat-topped; rays puberulent, numerous, stout; bracts 5-8, usually linear, sometimes fewer and broader; bracteoles numerous, lanceolate. Fls numerous, greenish white, 1-3 mm diam. Fr. glabrous, ovate-oblong, 8-12 mm long, brown with lighter, spongy lateral wings.

N.: Whanarua Bay (E. Bay of Plenty), Levin, Mana Id, Wellington City; S.: vicinity of Christchurch, Sutherland (S. Canterbury), Dunedin, Pig Id (Foveaux Strait).

N.W. Spain, W. Portugal 1978

Waste places, particularly in coastal areas.

FL Nov-Jan.

A. pachycarpa is commonly cultivated as an ornamental herb in N.Z. and seedlings frequently occur in the vicinity of adult plants and may escape from cultivation. A. archangelica L., the true herbal angelica, is much less commonly cultivated and not known as a naturalised plant. It is sometimes confused with A. pachycarpa, but is easily distinguished by its strong aroma, larger size (up to 2 m high), duller lighter green lvs and rounded fruiting umbels [ see, Constance, L., New Zealand J. Bot. 5 : 447-449, (1967); Sykes, W. R., J. Roy. N.Z. Inst. Hort. 1 : 216-218 (1969)].