Citation: Baxter & Wooster in J.W. Loudon, Hort. Brit. edn 4, Suppl. 654 (1850).

Synonymy: Fedia muricata Steven ex Roemet & Schultes, Syst. Veg. 1:366 (1817); Valerianella truncata Betche, Animadv. Valet. 22 ( 1826); V. truncata Betche var. muricata (Steven)Boiss., Fl. Orient. 3:106 (1875).

Common name: Narrow-fruit cornsalad.

Description:
Annual herbs with suberect, rarely decumbent branches up to 20 cm long, little-branched, with rough hairs mainly along the ridges on the branches; leaves oblanceolate- rarely obovate-spathulate to -petiolate in the basal rosette becoming narrowly oblong-lanceolate, sessile and with more or less stem-clasping basal lobes on the stems, 1.5-8 x 0.5-2 cm, rounded or obtuse, rarely acute below the inflorescence, with a few rough hairs along the margins and the veins.

Inflorescence terminal, with 1 to several corymb-like dichasia with up to 20 sessile flowers; bracts linear-lanceolate, scale-like, clasping flowers and fruit; calyx with a very oblique tube or cut almost to the base on the anterior side, with 1 posterior lobe rarely with 1-3 teeth, c. 1 mm long when flowering but enlarging later and about as long as the first; corolla with a short funnel-shaped tube up to 1 mm long, white; lobes oblong-oblanceolate, c. 1 mm long, subequal; stamens 3; ovary inferior, with 3 cells but only 1 fully developed with a pendulous ovule, the slender style terminating in a stigma with 3 short thread-like branches.

Fruit ellipsoidal, with a terminal scoop-like calyx lobe, slightly compressed, with several ridges on the anterior side, with stiff hairs.

	Fruit.
Image source: fig. 620c in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Coode & Matthews (1972) Fl. Turkey 4:573, fig. 17, 14.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: SL, SE.   A native of southern Europe to central Asia. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: Sept. — Nov.

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

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available