Bishopsweed

This is an introduced species.

Plants annual, 20–100(–150) cm. Basal leaves petiolate, petiole 3–13 cm; blade ternate-3-pinnate; lateral ultimate segments narrowly elliptic, terminal segments obovate-elliptic, 10–15 × 5–20 mm, base cuneate, margin finely setaceous-serrate, apex obtuse or acute, gray-green. Cauline leaves 2-pinnate; ultimate segments ovate or oblong, distally narrowly lanceolate, entire or 3-lobed. Umbels 4–10 cm across; peduncles 8–14 cm; bracts numerous, 3-lobed, pinnate or entire, longer than rays; rays 20–50(–60), 2–8 cm, slender, inner faces hispid, spreading when young, in fruit becoming slightly constricted; bracteoles numerous, linear-acuminate or linear-lanceolate, 2–6 mm, spreading or reflexed; umbellules many-flowered; pedicels 1.5–7 mm, very thin, unequal. Fruit oblong, 1.5–2 × 0.6–1 mm. Carpophore 2-cleft to base. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Jul–Aug.

Glabrous, c. 1 m tall, branched. Leaves 5-20 cm long, pinnate or bipinnate; segments lanceolate or oval; margin serrate to setulose; teeth minute; basal leaves sometimes simple. Peduncles 6-12 cm long. Involucre of divided bracts; segments filiform. Rays 10-35, slender, 3-6 cm long. Involucel of 6-10 linear to lanceolate bractlets, acuminate. Flowers numerous. Fruit oblong, c. 2 mm long.

Provincial distribution unknown [native to the Mediterranean region].

Distribution: North and South America, North Africa, Europe, Asia

Cultivated in some medicinal farms, adventive in ruderal areas, wasteland, or along roads; below 200 m.