Torilis japonica (Houtt)DC. Upright Hedge Parsley
NOMENCLATURE
Torilis: see T.. arvensis.
japonica: of Japan
PREVIOUS NAMES: T. anthriscus (L) C.C. Gmelin. Caucalis anthriscus (L) Hudson.
OTHER NAMES: devil’s. night cap , (Warw). S cabby head, (Ches). Honiton lace;
(Dev). Hogweed, (Glos) Lace flower, lady’s lace, red kex, (Som).
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE: shortl:y appresed:hispid annual .50-l2Ocm.Th.
STEMS: solid, striate, hairs appressed; deflexed.
UMBELS: compoud. 1.5-4 cm diameter. Rays 4-13, unequal, 0.5-2cm long; Hairs :appressed,
forward pointing. Peduncle > than rays, with appressed deflexed hairs. Hermaphrodite only.
LEAVES: 1-3 pinnate, lobes 1-3cm, ovate to lancolate, pinnatifid or coarsely serrate.Appressed
forward point bristles, both surface.Petiole with slender deflexed appressed bristles. Branches from
leaf axil arise vertically. Cotyledons tapered at base, no petiole.
BRACTS: 4-6(12) = rays, linear, hispid, unequal. Bracteoles, several, linear to
lanceolate, hispid, length equalling pedicels.
FLOWERS: pink or purple white. Minute. Petals heart shaped, inflexed, hispid
beneath. Outer petals > than inner male. Sepals short pointed, broad, acute, persistent.
Peduncles lateral & terminal. Styles spread, persist, lengthen & diverge after
fertilization. Styles form stylopodiium. Fl .7-9.
FRUIT: 3-3.5mm, oval, subterete, spines curved forward, pointing. Styles glabrous,
recurved in fruit. Comrnisure narrow. Mericarps with slender glabrous ridges, & rough
tapering forward curved spines. Carpophore present. Vittae solitary. Pedicels with ring of hairs
at apex. Styles 3x > than stylopodium, recurved, glabrous. Stigma capitate. Seed distribution:
hooked bristles attach to animals. 2n=16.
HABITAT: roadside, hedges, grassy places. rough grassland, scrub.
light dry soil.
DISTRIBUTION: native <400m. Common British Isles. Europe but not North.
Temperate Asia, N. Africa, Japan. Introduced to N. America.
RELATED SPECIES
Caucalis platycarpos (Picture Link) ;(L); Small Burt Parsley. As T. japonica but, annual, spiny
fruits, no bracts, rarely 1-2 small ones. Outer petals radiating. F1.6-7. 2n=20. Formerly occured
as weed in arable fields. Extremely rare now.
Turgenia latifolia (L.) Hoffm, .Great Bur Parsley. As T. .japonica but, annual, (2) 3-5 bracts, outer
petals strongly radiating. Fl .6-7. 2n=20. .Formerly as weed in arable fields. Extremely rare now.
Turgenia latifolia also shown
http://www.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~stueber/thome/band3/tafel_072_small.jpg