Fool's Parsley - Aethusa cynapium
Low to medium hairless plant, stems ribbed, leaves 2 or 3 pinnate, dark green. Flowers white 2 mm in umbels with 10 to 20 rays, petals unequal. Bracts absent, but with 3 or 4 pendant bracteoles giving a bearded appearance.
Waste places, arable land and even gardens.
June to October.
Annual, occasionally biennial.
Common and widespread in Britain.
Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 457 of the 617 tetrads.
In the current Checklist (Jeeves, 2011) it is listed as native, frequent
David Nicholls
Ratby Church
27 April 2014
Graham Calow
Springwell Lane, Whetsone
29 July 2016
David Nicholls
Ratby Church
27 April 2014. All Saints Car Park near Garages Sapcote SP 4889 9321 (taken 6.7.2006).JPG)
Graham Calow
All Saints Chuch, Sapcote
06 July 2006
David Nicholls
Ratby Church
27 April 2014 near Marsh Area Old Fosse Sapcote SP 4979 9215 (taken 30.6.2008).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
30 June 2008
Peter Smith
Castle Street, Leicester
10 August 2012
Young fruit
Peter Smith
Castle Street, Leicester
10 August 2012
Pendent bracteoles
Graham Calow
Sapcote
22 August 2014
. All Saints Car Park near Garages Sapcote SP 4889 9321 (taken 6.7.2006).JPG)
 near Marsh Area Old Fosse Sapcote SP 4979 9215 (taken 30.6.2008).JPG)
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Species profile
- Common names
- Fool's Parsley
- Species group:
- Wildflowers
- Kingdom:
- Plantae
- Order:
- Apiales
- Family:
- Apiaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 82
- First record:
- 06/07/2006 (Calow, Graham)
- Last record:
- 27/09/2023 (Alton, John)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
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