Fumaria officinalis L.

Fumaria species are erect or diffuse annual to short lived perennial herbs sometimes scandent. Root stocks taproot. Stem simple or branched, glabrous or subglabrous. Leaves cauline alternate, opposite, 2-4 pinnatisect or ternatisect, basal leaves long petiolate and upper leaves shortly petiolate to sessile. Inflorescence racemose or subspicate, terminal or leaf opposed, bracts linear, shorter than pedicels. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, pink, purple and white, shortly pedicellate, Sepals 2, dentate, obsolete or small, petals 4, outer series dissimilar, connivent, upper petal gibbous, base spurred, apex hooded, lower petal not spurred, shorter concave and flat, inner series clawed, keeled, cohering at apex. Stamens 6, in 2 bundles, spur enclosed in a petal, upper bundle produced into a nectariferous gland at the base, anthers dimorphous. Ovary unilocular, subglobose, ovules 1-2, style base articulate, filiform, stigmas shortly bi-lobed or entire. Fruits indehiscent, single seeded nutlet, subglobose with 2 apical pits, rugulose or smooth. Seeds brown, non arillate.

Fumaria species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects. Flowering/Fruiting: June-October.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., dispersal by wind, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Diffuse or weak erect herbs about 20-45 cm long. Root stocks thick taproot. Stem green, diffusely branched, leafy throughout, faintly grooved, glabrous or subglabrous. Leaves many, lanceolate-triangular in outline, base vaginate, including the petiole, about 6-9 x 3-5 cm across, petiole wider and slightly sheathed at the base, about 1-2 cm long, parapinnatisect, decompound, deeply laciniately dissected, 5-9, alternate, subopposite, lanceolate or triangular shaped lateral and terminal pinnae, about 10-25 mm long, pinnae and petiolules near the base larger becoming shorter towards the apex of the leaf, petiolules about 5-10 mm long, ultimate segments linear oblong-obovate, base cuneate, veins inconspicuous, apex obtuse or subacute. Inflorescence racemose, axillary or leaf opposed, peduncle about 2-3 cm long, bracts oblong, about the length than pedicels, about 4-6 mm long. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, light pinkish blue tipped with dark blackish purple, shortly pedicellate, often rigidly erect in fruit about 3 mm long, sepals 2, ovate, scarious, slightly serrulate, apex obtuse, about 1.5 mm across, petals 4, outer series dissimilar, linear oovate, connivent, upper petal gibbous, base spurred, apex hooded, rather thickened at the top with lateral scarious blackish red wings, about 7-8 mm long, lower petal not spurred, spathulate, with patent margins, inner series clawed, keeled, cohering at apex. Stamens 6, in 2 bundles, spur enclosed in a petal, upper bundle produced into a nectariferous gland at the base, anthers dimorphous. Ovary unilocular, subglobose, glabrous, ovules 1-2, style base articulate, slightly falcate, stigmas shortly bi-lobed, small. Fruits indehiscent, single seeded nutlet, globose obscurely keeled to obreniform, emarginate with 2 apical pits, smooth, about 2 x 2.5 mm across. Seeds purplish brown, striate, non arillate.

Fumaria species are susceptible to insect pests, bacterial blights, moulds and rusts.

Notes: Western Ghats & Eastern Ghats, Weed, Native of Eurasia

Introduced and naturalized in Yercaud and Niligiri hills of Tamil Nadu, altitude above 1200 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in traditional medicine for stomach and gall problems, hemorrhoids, migraines and bad blood.