Ducrosia anethifolia (DC.) Boiss.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect, 10–40 cm, with a pungent smell; stem glaucous, terete, branched from at or near the base upwards, sulcate below, more finely striate above, hollow or with a very soft pith

Morphology Branches

Branches many, alternate or the upper occasionally opposite

Morphology Leaves

Lower leaves oblong or ovate in outline, bi- or tri-pinnatisect, with 2 or 3 pairs of leaflets (occasionally one of a pair suppressed) with long, narrowly linear, entire, mucronate, 3–40 × 1–2(–3) mm segments; upper leaves becoming ternatisect and often a few uppermost narrowly linear and simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles long, 4–14 cm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Umbels many, large for size of plant, terminal umbel with 10–25 rays, the branch umbels with 6–15 glabrous rays; fruiting rays 1.5–6 cm Partial umbels 9–25-flowered; flowers yellow, ± 2 mm in diameter

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucre and involucel similar in form, of about 10 short, reflexed, white-margined bracts and bracteoles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles

Bracteoles and pedicels glabrous, or the former margined with very short hairs; fruiting pedicels 4–10 mm, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit round, 5–6 mm, tumid margin broad, pale and conspicuous, central part dark, more pronouncedly hairy, especially on the commissural face

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Vittae

Vittae prominent dorsally

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stylopodium

Stylopodia small, not exceeding the emargination of the fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Styles short, glabrous, equalling or somewhat exceeding the disk, closely reflexed.

Ecology

In the desert, frequently on sandy and sandy gravel soils, occasionally on silty soils in depressions, also on heavily eroded steppic foothills, conglomerate, sandstone etc., very rare in the mountains (only found once over a century ago) on a low montane plain; alt. 50–600(–750) m

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting: Jun.–Jul.

Distribution

Common in the desert region of Iraq, occasional in the steppe region. Syria, Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan.

Vernacular

HAZA (Ir.-Rutba, Rawi 21037; Ir.-Salman, Guest, Rawi & Rechinger 18855), “smoke from this plant when burned said to be good for eyes affected by bad smell; and it is said to alleviate flatulence, if dried and ground with tobacco for an early morning smoke”; Ir.-Khadr al-Ma’i, Serkahia 18346 – “a medicinal plant”.