Pellitory Of The Wall

Parietaria judaica , which, in North America, is most abundant in scattered localities in California, is the only long-lived perennial species of Parietaria in the flora. Because of confusion in Europe over the correct name, plants in North America have been called P . judaica , P . officinalis of authors, not Linnaeus, P . officinalis var. erecta (Mertens & Koch) Weddell, and P . officinalis var. diffusa (Mertens & Koch) Weddell. For a clarification of the nomenclature and taxonomy of this complex, see C.C. Townsend (1968).

Parietaria judaica was first reported from Louisiana as P . diffusa Mertens & Koch, another name commonly used on herbarium specimens (J.W. Thieret 1969).

Perennial, pubescent to glabrescent, 10-50 cm tall, basally woody herb. Leaves with 0.3-2 cm long, filiform, hairy petiole; lamina lanceolate-ovate or ovate-elliptic, 1-3(4) cm long, 0.5-2.0 (-2.5) cm broad, subtruncate to cuneate or rarely subcordate at the base, apex acute, appressed pubescent to glabrescent. Cymose flower clusters compact, few to many-flowered, subsessile to sessile, solitary, axillary. Flowers greenish, mostly bisexual, c. 3 mm across; bracts ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, 2.5-3 mm long, enlarged in fruit, subconnate at the base, obtuse. Calyx c. 3 mm long, lobes inflexed. Achenes ovoid, 1.5-2 mm long, brown, shining.

Herbs , perennial from crown, 1-8dm. Stems ascending, erect, or decumbent. Leaf blades narrowly to broadly elliptic, lance-elliptic, or ovate, 1.3-9 × 0.8-4.5 cm, base attenuate, cuneate, or broadly rounded, apex abruptly acuminate to long-attenuate. Flowers: involucral bracts 1.5-2.5 mm; tepals ca. 2-3.5 mm, longer than bracts. Achenes dark brown, symmetric, 1-1.2 × 0.6-0.9 mm, apex acute, mucro absent or minute; stipe centered, on cylindric base.

S. Europe, N. Africa, C. Asia, Afghanistan, Himalaya (Kashmir, Nepal), Siberia, Tibet, W. China.

Distribution: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, westwards to North Africa and southern Europe.

introduced; Calif., Fla., La., Mich., N.J., N.Y., Pa., Tex.; Eurasia; n Africa.

750 m

Fl.Per.: July-August.

Flowering all year, with peak in late winter-spring.

Cracks in sidewalks, ballast heaps, waste places, frequently about ports and coastal areas; 0-200m.