Apiaceae
Bifora

Bifora testiculata (L.) Spreng.

First published in J.J.Roemer & J.A.Schultes, Syst. Veg., ed. 15[bis]. 6: 448 (1820)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Medit. to Iran and Arabian Peninsula. It is an annual and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Erect annual, 10–40(–50) cm, somewhat sparingly branched from base upwards, branches axillary
Morphology Leaves
Leaves all bi- to subtri-pinnate, lowest petiolate with deeply incised cuneate-ovate segments and oblong in outline, 2–10 cm long, upper progressively more deeply divided into acute, narrowly lanceolate and finally linear 2–10 × 0.5–2 mm segments, upper leaves sessile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peduncles 0.8–6 cm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels few to many, leaf-opposed, 2- or 3(–5)-rayed, rays 3–6(– 10) mm Partial umbels few-flowered, usually 2 or 3 and occasionally reduced to 1 so that the umbel appears to be simple; flowers small (± 1.5 mm in diameter), petals subequal, very early caducous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre
Involucre absent or of a single setaceous bract
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Involucel of 1or 2 subulate bracteoles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Fruiting pedicels 2–4 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit 3–4 × 4.5–7 mm, mericarps hard
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles minute, reflexed.
Ecology
On mountains, under shrubs, on steep slope; alt. 600–1100 m
Phenology
Flowering and fruiting: May.
Distribution
Very rare in Iraq, only found in the Northern sector of the lower forest zone. Mediterranean Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, Balkans, Greece), Crete, Aegean Isles, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran, C Asia (Turkmenistan), N Africa (Algeria, Libya).
Vernacular
Bedevian (1936) calls this plant KUZBARA SAGHIRA (“small coriander”); in other countries it is often found in segetal or ruderal habitats.
[FIQ]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images