Angelica pachycarpa
Common name
angelica
Family
Apiaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
ANGPAC
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Mainly coastal, waste places.
Detailed description
Stout fleshy short-lived perennial up to 1m tall with faint aniseed odour. The stems are hollow and grooved. Leaves are dark green and glossy, and are variable in shape. Basal leaves are 2-3 pinnate and with an obvious petiole. Stem leaves are 1-3 pinnate and with much shorter petiole. Numerous greenish white flowers are held in flat-toped umbels 10-20 cm diameter. The fruit are up to 12 mm long, brown with lighter coloured wings.
Similar taxa
Can be confused with A. archangelica, the true herbal angelica. But A. pachycarpa has darker leaves, is much smaller, lacks the very strong aroma and the umbels are flat rather than rounded.
Flowering
November, December, January
Flower colours
Green, White
Year naturalised
1978
Origin
N.W. Spain, W. Portugal
Etymology
angelica: From the Latin angelus ‘angel’, referring to the healing properties of this genus
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Dispersal
Humans, wind, water.
Tolerances
Tolerant of very dry sites including salt-spray.