Page author: Don Knoke
Scandix pecten-veneris
shepherd's-needle, Venus'-comb
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Sparingly introduced from Vancouver Island to California.

Habitat: Weed of fields ans waste places.

Flowers: April - July

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Self-pollination

Description:
General:

Taprooted annual, the stems 1-3 dm. tall, branched at the base, usually with stiff, blunt hairs.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, several, well distributed along the stem, the petiole nearly equalling the blade, the blade 1.5-9 cm. long and 1-6 cm. wide, pinnately dissected, the ultimate segments 1-3 mm. long and 0.5-1 mm. wide.

Flowers:

Umbellets usually 2, compact, less then 1 cm. wide, the rays 1-4 cm. long; bractlets of the involucel several, bifid above; involucre none; fruiting pedicles stout, erect, 2-5 mm. long; flowers white, calyx teeth minute.

Fruits:

Fruit with a quadrangular body 6-15 mm. long and 1-2 mm. wide, tipped by a stout, flattened beak 2-7 cm. long.

Accepted Name:
Scandix pecten-veneris L.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Scandix pecten-veneris in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Scandix pecten-veneris checklist entry

OregonFlora: Scandix pecten-veneris information

E-Flora BC: Scandix pecten-veneris atlas page

CalPhotos: Scandix pecten-veneris photos

12 photographs:
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