39. Torilis Adans. (hedge-parsley)

Plants annual. Stems loosely ascending to erect, pubescent with stiff, white, usually downwardly appressed hairs. Leaves alternate and usually also basal (several basal leaves usually present at flowering), the basal and lower stem leaves short- to long-petiolate, the median and upper leaves short-petiolate or more commonly sessile or nearly so, the sheathing bases not or only slightly inflated, with glabrous margins. Leaf blades 3–15 cm long (uppermost leaves sometimes only 0.5 cm), narrowly oblong-ovate to ovate-triangular in outline, 1 or 2 times pinnately compound, the leaflets 5–60 mm long, lanceolate to oblong-ovate, usually deeply pinnately dissected, mostly narrowed at the base, the lobes with the margins mostly sharply few-toothed, narrowed to a sharp point at the tip, moderately to densely pubescent with stiff, white hairs on both surfaces. Inflorescences terminal and/or lateral, compound umbels (often appearing simple and headlike in T. nodosa), short- to long-stalked (sometimes appearing sessile in T. nodosa). Involucre absent or of 1–10 bracts, these hairy. Rays 2–10, pubescent with stiff, white, usually upwardly appressed hairs. Involucel of 3–8 bractlets, these longer than the flower stalks, narrowly elliptic to more commonly linear, hairy. Flowers 5–20 in each umbellet. Sepals absent or minute triangular scales. Petals obovate to fan-shaped, rounded or shallowly notched at the tip, white. Ovaries hairy. Fruits oblong-elliptic to ovate in outline, narrowed or rounded at the base, narrowed to a blunt, beakless tip, flattened laterally, grayish brown to grayish green, the mericarps somewhat narrowed along the commissures, the slender and nervelike ribs usually appressed-hairy, usually obscured by a dense covering of long bristles, these more or less spreading, mostly with minute, terminal barbs. About 15 species, Europe, Asia, Africa.