Bupleurum tenuissimum L. Slender Hare's Ear
NOMENCLATURE
Bupleurum: see B. baldense. tenuissimum : very slender.
OTHER NAMES: smallest hares ear.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE: glabrous erect/procumbent annual. Th.HEIGHT: 15-50cm.
STEMS: branched, flexous, solid, striate.
UMBELS: 5mm diam. Compound, numerous, terminal and axillary, shortly pedunculate
or sessile, with (1) 2-3 unequal rays 1cm long, partial umbels with 1-4, flowers.
LEAVES: 7cm, simple, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, widest above middle, acute,
sessile, scarcely sheathing at base, veins 3, parallel, with some slender cross veins.
Cotyledons tapered at base, no petiole.
BRACTS: 3-5, 6mm, linear-lanceolate, subulate 3 veined, herbaceous.
Bracteoles similar long, but not concealing the flowers and fruit.
FLOWERS: yellow, hermaph. Styles forming stylopodium.Fl. 7-9.
FRUIT: 2mm, black, subglobose, granulate. Laterally compressed, rugulose-
papillose. Commisure broad. Mericarps with narrowly winged, undulate- crenate ridges.
Carpophore present. Vittae inconspicious. Pedicels very short. Styles 0.1mm, horizontal.
Stigma truncate. 2n=16.
HABITAT: grassy, saline habitats, salt marshes waste places.
DISTRIBUTION: represented in Britain by subsp. tenuissium. Coasts
of England from Dorset to Humber. Bristol Channel. One locality
in Co. Durham. Inland, near Malvern. Coasts of Europe, N. to
Sweden. S.W. Asia. N.W. Africa, inland on saline steppe.
