Common name: Shepherds Needle
Scandix pecten-veneris L. APNI* 
Description: Annual herb 15–50 cm high, stems branched, striate, glabrescent.
Leaves 2–3-pinnate, oblong or narrow-triangular in outline; lamina 3–5 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide; segments linear, to 3 mm long, sparsely hairy; petiole to 7 cm long, with a 1.5–2 cm long scarious sheathing base.
Umbels with 1–3 rays, 1.5–2 mm long; peduncle 2–5 cm long; bracts absent; bracteoles c. 5, entire or with 2 or more irregular lobes; pedicels 1.5–3 mm long, elongating and thickening in fruit. Flowers c. 1 mm diam., 3 outer petals larger than 2 others.
Fruit linear-oblong, 3–8 cm long, laterally compressed, distinctly 5-ribbed, the seed-bearing part 8–12 mm long, the beak 3–5 cm long.
Flowering: September–December
Distribution and occurrence: Naturalized along roadsides and pastures; 3 early records. Native of Eur. & Medit. region.
NSW subdivisions: *CC, *CT, *CWS
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *S.A.
Text by J. M. Powell, except for genera with authors listed
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
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.
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