Anthriscus caucalis (Bieb) Bur Chervil
NOMENCLATURE
Anthriscus : from Greek, by Theophrastus.
PREVIOUS NAMES : A. scandicina (Mansf). A. vulgaris (Pers. non Bernh).
Chaerophyllum anthriscus (L)Crantz. A. neglecta (Boiss&Reuter)
BSBI Picture Link to Anthriscus caucalis
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE : annual. Th. HEIGHT: 80-100cm. STEM : freely branched, hollow, glabrous to very
sparsely hairy, striate, curved below, purplish towards base. Thicker below nodes.
UMBELS: compound, 2-4cm. Leaf opposed with 3-6 glabrous rays 1cm, often divaricate or
recurved in fruit. Peduncle < than rays, glabourous, elongating + thickening in fruit.
LEAVES : 10 cm. 2-3 pinnate, Segments ovate, pinnatifid lobes 5-lO mm. obtuse, hairy
beneath, usually glabrous above. Petioles inflated and villous towards the base.
Cotyledons tapered at the base no petioles.
BRACTS : rarely 1. Bracteoles 4-5, 2mm ovate, acuminate, ciliate.
FLOWERS : 2mm. White. hermaphrodite, subsessile. Styles forming stylopodium. Fl. 5-6.
FRUIT : 3mm, ovoid, shortly beaked, covered in hooked spines, glabrous. Mericarps with ridges
only in the beak. Commisure narrow. Carpophore present. Pedicels with a slightly
thickened, subsessile. 2n=14.
HABITAT : hedgebanks, near sea, waste places. Sandy soil.
DISTRIBUTION : native. Britain, local, absent in N.& W. W.C.& S. Europe. Temp. Asia. N.Africa.
BSBI Distribution Map for Anthriscus caucalis
VARIETIES : Var. A. neglecta
EXTERNAL LINKS FOR Anthriscus caucalis
These links to trusted websites and institutions may provide in depth or additional information regards cultivation, chemistry, edibility, images etc. for the species. Links last updated Aug 2012.
Wikipedia (UK) APHOTOFLORA (UK)
BIO Images (UK)
Schede di Botanica
'Online Guide To Umbelliferae Of The British Isles' Compiled By J.M.Burton 2002