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Aphanes arvensis L. s.s., Parsley-piert

Account Summary

Native, occasional, but very probably under-recorded. European temperate, but widely naturalised in both hemispheres.

1881; Stewart, S.A.; Co Fermanagh.

April to December.

Growth form and preferred habitats

This little annual is found on dry or droughted, shallow, warm, open, bare or patchy lowland vegetation over more-or-less disturbed, lime-rich, rocky or sandy soils, or on bare rocks or walls, or gravel or unsurfaced tracks (eg in forestry plantations). In other parts of Ireland, this is a good indicator species for other rarer annuals of similar stress-tolerant, perennial-avoiding, non-competitive habits, such as Erophila glabrescens (Glabrous Whitlowgrass) and Saxifraga tridactylites (Rue-leaved Saxifrage), both of which are extremely rare in Fermanagh.

The curious English common name 'Parsley-piert' alludes to the often rocky nature of the terrain the plant frequently occupies. The name appears to be a garbled version of the French 'perce-pierre', a plant which grows in rocky ground, piercing the rock, from the verb 'percer' meaning 'to pierce' or 'to bore' (Grigson 1974).

Although some observers regard A. arvensis s.s. as being indifferent to soil acidity (FNEI 3), other work indicates that it rarely colonises substrates below pH 5.0 and appears to seek out pockets of deeper soil to occupy (Grime et al. 1988).

Flowering reproduction

As with other well-adapted small, therophyte, weedy species, germination can occur either in autumn or spring, which results in a prolonged flowering period stretching from April to October. In parallel with most members of the genus Alchemilla (to which grouping this species previously belonged), the tiny green flowers are apomictic, setting seed without sexual fusion taking place. Fruiting occurs from May onwards and some seed persists in the soil seed bank for five or more years (Thompson et al. 1997).

Uses

Previously, A. arvensis was used both in herbal medicine (against bowel inflammation and stones) and as a minor salad vegetable (Grigson 1987).

Fermanagh occurrence

In Fermanagh, A. arvensis has been recorded in 22 tetrads, 4.2% of the total. RHN and the current author (RSF) regard it as occasional, the majority of sites occurring on limestones in the west of the VC. As the tetrad distribution map highlights, eight of the tetrads have only pre-1975 records, which in this case suggests that it is an under-recorded species.

While characteristically occurring as a small, low-growing annual, A. arvensis can form quite substantial patches or even low tussocks in short turf in more fertile, less challenging soils or in near-bare ground conditions, especially if regular mowing or grazing minimises competition from more vigorous species. However, being fairly insignificant in appearance, in Fermanagh Parsley-piert often needs to be actively searched for in suitable habitats, or it can be very easily overlooked.

British and Irish occurrence

In Ireland, A. arvensis s.s. is thinly widespread or local, but rather better represented in the N & S of the country and along the E coast. The distribution in Britain is also widespread, but the plant is more consistently recorded in the SE and thins gradually northwards, becoming more easterly in Scotland (Preston et al. 2002).

European and world occurrence

Found in W, S & C Europe reaching S Scandinavia, Latvia and NE Poland and stretching east to Turkey and Iran. Also present in Ethiopia, the NW African coast and the Macaronesian Isles. Introduced in N America, Chile, S Australia and New Zealand (Hultén & Fries 1986, Map 1155).

Threats

None.