Apium prostratum subsp. howense P.S.Short APNI* Description: Perennial herb, caespitose to trailing, strongly aromatic when bruised. Stems to 30 cm long.
Leaves 1–3-pinnate, 2–17 cm long; petiole 1–10 cm long, with membranous, sheathing base; ultimate leaf segments narrow to linear, 1–3 mm broad, often 3-fid at apex.
Inflorescence of 1 (-3) umbels per node, (8-) 12-flowered; peduncle 0.5–3 cm long; pedicels 1–5 mm long; bracts obsolete. Sepals obsolete. Petals c. 0.3 mm long, white to pinkish.
Fruit rounded, 1.5 mm long, 2 mm broad; mericarps with spongy-corky, rounded, contiguous ribs; oil canals obscure
Distribution and occurrence: Endemic to Lord Howe Island. Fairly common in cracks of coralline rocks and sand pockets, especially near the sea, above the high water mark but within the splash zone.
NSW subdivisions: LHI
The restricted distribution as well as the distinctive leaf have formed the basis for the recognition of this taxon as a subspecies of Apium prostratum.
Text by P.S. Green (1994)
Taxon concept: P.S. Short (1979)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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