Bupleurum rotundifolium (L) Thorow-Wax
NOMENCLATURE
Bupleurum: see B. baldense.
rotundifolium: round leaved.
Thorow-Wax: Turners description in Names Of Herbs, 1548:
"The stalke waxeth throwe the leaves."
OTHER NAMES: buplevers, hare’s ear.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE: erect glabrous, glaucous annual. Th.
STEMS: hollow, smooth, purplish tinged. H: 30cm
UMBELS: 1-3cm diam, compound. with 4-8 smooth, unequal rays up to 1cm long,
unequal. Peduncle as long as the rays. Flowers terminal.
LEAVES: 2-5cm, simple, elliptic-ovate to suborbicular, apiculate, with cartilaginous margin.
Lower attenuate into a petiole, the rest perfol iate. Veins numerous, slender, radiating from
the base, anastomising near the margin & connected by slender cross veins elsewhere.
Cotyledons tapered towards base, no petiole.
BRACTS: bracteoles : 5, 5-12 mm, unequal, ovate to oblancolate, acuminate, patent in flower,
connivent in fruit, shortly connate at base. Venation similar to the leaf. Green margins.
FLOWERS: Yellow. Hermaphrodite. Styles form stylopodium. Fl.6-7.
FRUIT: 3-3.5 mm, elliptic-oblong, pruniose, laterally compressed. Commisure broad. Mericarps
with slender, prominent ridges. Carpophore present. Vittae present. Pedicels 1mm. Styles 0.2-0.3mm,
< than stylopodium. Stigma truncate. Seed 0.0043 gms. Blackish colour. 2n=16.
HABITAT: arable fields, waste ground, dry places. Chalky soil.
DISTRIBUTION: introduction. Dependant on repeat introduction with cereal seed, now scarce.
Widespread in S.E. England. Native to Belgium, France, Germany. N.America. N. Africa.
Australia. New Zealand. Naturalised in Holland.
http://www.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~stueber/thome/band3/tafel_051_small.jpg
