False Thorow-wax

False Thorow-wax, Hampstead Heath

Umbels with large yellow bracts

Close-up of petal-less flowers

Umbels, bracts and lower leaves

Yellow bract

Upper leaves with 'thorow' stems

Lower leaves
Bupleurum subovatum
Apiaceae
April to August
In Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland (2003), Blamey, Blamey
and Fitter state that it flowers from June to August, but the
plants shown here were flowering in mid April.
It is very thinly scattered throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for False Thorow-wax
It is a neophyte, which was introduced from the Mediterranea
n region in the 1850s.
It occurs as a casual in gardens, on waste ground and on
rubbish tips.
The pictures shown here were of an extensive patch of plants
on Hampstead Heath, London.
It is an infrequent constituent of wild bird seed and this may
account for its widespread but unusual occurrence.
False Thorow-wax is an annual, waxy, patch-forming herb,
growing up to 30cm.
The small yellow flowers are in umbels above broad
yellow-green, petal-like bracts.
The flowers have no petals.
The upper leaves are large and almost round.
The lower leaves are a darker green, broadly oval with
small teeth.
Stems are hairy and appear to grow through the upper
leaves – hence ‘thorow’.
Previous page: False Spikenard
Next page: Field Pansy
© Copyright 2004-2022 - CMS Made Simple
This site is powered by CMS Made Simple version 1.11.9