Fumaria vaillantii Loisel.

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: April-June.

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 suberect climbing herbs about 10-30 m tall. Root stocks taproot. Stem much branched, leafy throughout and glabrous. Leaves many, lanceolate-triangular in outline, base vaginate, about 3-9 x 1.5-4.5 cm across, petiole slender, wider near the base, about 0.5-2 cm long, 2-3 pinnate, decompound, deeply laciniately dissected, 3-7, 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 subsessile to sessile, ultimate segments linear oblong-lanceolate, flat, base cuneate, veins inconspicuous, apex acute or subacute. Inflorescence racemose, axillary or leaf opposed, about 6-12 flowered, peduncle short or subsessile, bracts linear-lanceolate, scarious, about 1-3 mm long. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic pinkish purple tipped with dark blackish red, shortly pedicellate, about 3 mm long, sepals 2, laciniate dentate, apex acute, about 0.8-1 x 0.4-0.6 mm across, petals 4, outer series dissimilar, connivent, upper petal gibbous, base spurred, about 5-6 mm long, lower petal spathulate, patent margins, with very narrow erect margin, 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 obscurely keeled on side, with 2 apical pits, smooth, about 2 mm across. Seeds brown, granular-rugose, non arillate.

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

Weed in the cultivated fields, altitude above 600 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in ayurvedic medicine.