Torilis arvensis ssp. recta

Field Hedge Parsley is an introduced herbaceous annual in the Carrot family (APIACEAE). It is native to Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. In Alabama it can be found primarily in the northern half of the state. Field Hedge Parsley grows on roadsides, along railroads, around the margins of fields and pastures, along the edge of woodlands, and in waste places. It is an annual with a tap root. The stems are 1-3 feet in height, branched, green in color, and appressed pubescent. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, and 2 to 3 times pinnately divided. Leaf segments are linear-lanceolate in outline, pubescent, with toothed or lobed margins. Flowers are produced in terminal and lateral compound umbels. Each compound umbel has 7-8 umbellets. The compound umbel lacks bracts at its base or has a single linear one. Each umbellet has 8 flowers and 7-8 small linear bracts at its base. Each flower has 3-9 white rays. The fruit is a mericarp covered with bristles. The fruit is at first green then becomes pinkish before turning tan or brown. Field Hedge Parsley is a larval food plant for the Black Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes).—A. Diamond

Historically, this entity has been treated in the Alabama flora as Torilis arvensis (Huds.) Link.  However, morphological diversity within the species has led to multiple subspecies being described.  The typical subspecies, Torilis arvensis ssp. arvensis is a a shorter and more highly branched taxon comparated to the robust and little branched Torilis arvensis ssp. recta. [=T. helvetica (Jacquin) C.C. Gmelin] (Jury 1996).--B.R. Keener