This annual weed from southern Europe is widespread and locally abundant in eastern states, especially on base-rich soils. Torilis was first reported from Ky. as "japonica" during the 1940s (B, Slack 1941, Wharton 1945), but based on misidentifications of helvetica (arvensis ssp recta); see notes under japonica. T. helvetica has become a locally abundant weed in Ky., especially in the Bluegrass Region. Torilis is not obviously edible, and generally annoying to humans because of its bristly fruits that attach to hair or clothing. However, there is an ancient tradition of medicinal use in Eurasia, and there has been some supporting research (e.g. Park et al. 2003, Kim et al. 2010).