Common name: fool's cress, water celery
Helosciadium nodiflorum (L.) W.D.J.Koch APNI* Synonyms: Apium nodiflorum (L.) Lag. APNI*
Sium nodiflorum L. APNI*
Description: Perennial herb varying from amphibious to aquatic and up to 1.3 m high; glabrous; stems branched, hollow, grooved, rooting at lower nodes.
Leaves with 3–17 leaflets. Leaflets ovate to lanceolate, serrate, sometimes lobed.
Umbels 2–4 cm wide, with 4–14 rays and with 0–2 bracts at base of umbels and 4–8 bracteoles at base of umbellules. Petals c. 1 mm long, white.
Fruit 1.5–2.5 mm long, ovoid, flattened, ribs slender to slightly thickened.
Flowering: Flowering: November –February
Distribution and occurrence: Currently only known to grow for a few km along Sandy Creek, Kootingal in the North Western Slopes of New South Wales and the Volcanic Plain area of Victoria. Native of Eur., W & C Asia and N Africa.
NSW subdivisions: *CC, *NWS, *SC
Other Australian states: *Vic.
This species is not considered to be toxic but can be confused with Berula erecta which is toxic to stock. B. erecta has 4-7 bracts at base of umbels.
Text by John R. Hosking
Taxon concept: Based on Flora of New Zealand Volume 4 and Flora of New Zealand online database.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
|
