Apium australe Thouars

Glab. perennial herb with stout deeply descending taproot up to c. 3 cm. diam. near often multicipital stock. Stems rather stout, sts up to ± 2 cm. diam. near base, grooved, sparingly to much branched, decumbent, up to c. 5 dm. long. Lvs on stout petioles up to c. 10 cm. long, sheathing at base. Lamina up to 4 cm. long, coriac., ± fleshy, shining, irregularly 2-3-pinnate. Lflts sessile or on petiolules up to 1 cm. long, irregularly 3-5-partite; segs broad or narrow, incised or deeply lobed; teeth crenate-dentate. Umbels subsessile, up to c. 15 mm. diam., (3)-4-8-(15)-rayed, rays up to c. 5 cm. long. Secondary umbels us. developed, rays 5-7, c. 6 mm. long. Petals white. Fr. broad-ovoid, glab., 2-3 mm. long; mericarps with prominent, thick, blunt ribs; vittae obscure.

Damp places in all more or less open coastal habitats, less commonly in wet places inland to elevations of 75 metres in Tierra Del Fuego and north latitude to 35°s.

The leaves are eaten cooked. The roots are eaten cooked.

Can be grown by seedlings.