Zygophyllaceae

P. harmala L., Sp. Pl. 444 (1753). Ic: Fiori, Ic. Fl. Ital. f. 2523 (1901).
Erect perennial herbs with glabrous, stout stems arising from a woody stock, 30-70 cm. Leaves alternate, with minute deciduous stipules, irregularly divided into linear, lanceolate or narrowly elliptic segments (often trifid at base), 3-5 cm. Flowers solitary, usually leaf-opposed. Sepals linear, green, resembling the leaf segments and sometimes irregularly divided and with a minute 'epicalyx' between the sepals. Petals white, elliptic, usually slightly exceeding the sepals, 10-13(-19) mm. Capsules slightly stalked, broadly obovoid or globular, loculicidal, c. 8 x 8 mm. Fl. 5-7. Waste places, steppe {sometimes saline), s.1.-1500 m.
Described from Madrid, Alexandria, Cappadocia & Galatia.
A1(A) Çanakkale: Pinarbaşı, Sint. 1883:1012! A2(E) Istanbul: Yedikule, 18 x 1896, Azn.! A3 Bolu: Bolu, 3 vii 1948, L. Brauner! A4 Kastamonu: Kastamonu to Taşköprü, 22 vii 1956, Özeni A5 Amasya: Amasya, Bornm. 1889: 968! A9 Kars: d. Ardahan, Kutul, vii 1947, Başarman! Bl Izmir: Smyrna, v 1827, Fleischer! B3 Eskişehir: S of Beylikahir, 950 m, D. 37194! B5 Kayseri: Boğaz Köprü, 12 km N of Kayseri, 1000 m, Hub.-Mor. 11650. B4 Konya: Halkenli to Cihanbeyli, 1000 m, Dudley, D. 35943! B6 Maraş: Kapalik to Elbistan, 12 vii 1906, B. Post 761! B7 Elaziğ: nr. Elaziğ, 600 m, It. Ley d. 1959: 1432! B8 Erzincan: W of Tercan, 1500 m, D. 30943! B9 Van: Van, D. 23271! C2 Denizli: Denizli to Aydin, nr. Sarayköy, 200 m, Dudley, D. 35639! C3 Burdur: Bucak, 800 m, Tengwall 659! C5 Niğde: Niğde, 1400 m, Balls 1377! C7 Urfa: Akçakale, 400 m, D. 28109! C8 Mardin: Kasmi, Sint. 1888: 1201! Is: Lesvos, Cand.
S. Europe, N. Africa, S.W. Asia, eastwards to Tibet. P. harmala is often abundant on the outskirts of villages in the steppe; it appears to be poisonous to stock.