Citation: Miller, Gard. Dict. edn 8 (Foeniculum n. 1) (1768).

Synonymy: F. officinale All., Fl. Ped. 2:25 (1785).

Common name: Fennel.

Description:
Erect glabrous aromatic biennial or short-lived perennial, 1-2.5 m high; stem stout, striate, glaucous; leaves 3 or 4 times pinnatisect; ultimate segments filiform, 5-50 mm long, acuminate with a cartilaginous apex, spreading in space; petioles hollow, with a sheathing base; blade of basal leaves more or less triangular in outline, to 50 cm long; uppermost leaves reduced to the long broad striate sheath with 2 rounded auricles at its apex.

Compound umbels large, 7-15 cm diam., terminal and leaf-opposed; rays 4-30; umbellules many-flowered; flowers c. 2 mm diam.; petals yellow, strongly involute.

Fruit ovoid-oblong, 4-10.5 mm long.

Published illustration: Ross-Craig (1959) Drawings Brit. Pl. 13:t. 2; Burbidge & Gray (1970) Flora of the A.C.T., fig. 281; Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 542.

Distribution:  A garden weed, on roadsides, waste places and along irrigation channels. S.Aust.: NU, FR, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE.   W.Aust.; Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   Native in southern Europe, mainly maritime. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: Sept. — Dec.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Uses: Cultivated in several varieties for use, e.g., as vegetable (var. azoricum (Miller)Thell.), as medicinal plant (var. vulgate), or for flavouring (var. dulce (Miller)Thell.) where fruits and leaves are used.

Author: Not yet available