Torilis nodosa
Short sock-destroyer, Short Sock-Destroyer
(c) Henry Miller, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Torilis nodosa (Short sock-destroyer) is a non-native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by clear morphological differences in stature, inflorescence, and leaf complexity.
Short sock-destroyer is a naturalized annual found in the California Floristic Province in disturbed places at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces tiny white flowers in sparse, delicate clusters. Growing with slender stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms a loosely branched structure. Its finely divided leaves are pinnately dissected, with narrow linear segments 3 to 8 millimeters long that give the plant a lacy, intricate appearance. The fruit is covered with ascending prickles that can easily catch onto clothing, explaining its colorful common name.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; clear morphological differences in stature, inflorescence, and leaf complexity
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed places
Elevation: < 1800 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Kern, Riverside, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Alameda, Fresno, Butte, Orange, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Contra Costa, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Tulare, Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma, El Dorado, Colusa, Tuolumne, Glenn, Yuba, Ventura, Solano, Calaveras, Napa, Amador, Yolo, Placer, Nevada, Sutter, Tehama, Stanislaus, Humboldt, San Benito, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sacramento, Lake, Merced, Mariposa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey
Outside California: widely introduced, native to Eurasia, especially Mediterranean
Bloom period
Torilis nodosa blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Anthriscus: Torilis fruits are covered in stiff prickles that grab clothing; Anthriscus fruits are smooth and beaked.; vs Conium: Torilis is hairy throughout with prickly fruits; Conium is smooth with purple-spotted stems.; vs Daucus: Torilis flower clusters stay open in fruit; Daucus folds into a tight bird's nest.; vs Chaerophyllum: Torilis has prickly burr fruits; Chaerophyllum has smooth elongated fruits.; vs Sanicula: Torilis has open umbels with prickly separate fruits; Sanicula has ball-like clustered burr heads.
Frequently asked questions
Is Torilis nodosa native to California?
No. Torilis nodosa is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Torilis nodosa bloom?
Torilis nodosa blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Torilis nodosa grow?
Torilis nodosa occurs in San Luis Obispo, Kern, Riverside, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Alameda, Fresno, Butte and other counties, at elevations of < 1800 m.
What plant family does Torilis nodosa belong to?
Torilis nodosa is in the Apiaceae family, genus Torilis.
What habitat does Torilis nodosa grow in?
Torilis nodosa grows in Disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.