UMBELLIFERAE PARSLEY FAMILY 
GOLDEN ALEXANDERS 
Zizia aurea (L.) Koch 
The Golden Alexanders is common in fields, swamps and 
along roadsides from New Brunswick to Ontario and South 
Dakota, south to Florida and Texas. , Its flat-topped clusters of 
golden flowers make it very 
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conspicuous in spring. Ne 
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The hollow, juicy, branch- ae te,  ¢ VZ 
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ing stem is smooth and grows | 5) \ jim 
1-2% feet high. It is often “4 \J 
tinged with red and when 4 
bruised or broken has an odor “#¥* 
resembling that of fresh var- 
nish. The lower leaves are long 
petioled and 2 or 3 times com- 
pound, each division having 3 \ 
smooth and rather thin leaf- | 
lets similar to those shown. LY 
\) 
The flowers begin bloom- 
ing in April and continue into 
June. The 5 tiny yellow petals 
have their tips turned in 
toward the rather prominent 
stamens. 
The Wild Parsnip, Pastinaca 
sativa L., is another yellow- & 
flowered herb of the Parsley fam- ; 
ily. It was introduced into this 
country from Europe and has become a weed. It is a stout, widely 
branching biennial that grows 2-5 feet high. The stem is usually 
smooth but conspicuously grooved. The lower leaves are often more 
than 1 foot long, petioled and pinnately compound, with the leaflets 
variously lobed and sharply toothed. The upper leaves are much 
smaller and their bases clasp the stem. The numerous little yellow 
flowers are grouped in a flat-topped cluster like that of the Golden 
Alexanders but much larger. The oval fruits are about one-quarter 
inch long. 
The Heart-leaved Golden Alexanders, Zizia cordata (Walt.) 
DC., is occasionally found in southern Illinois. Its root leaves are 
long stalked, typically heart shaped or even round, and prominently 
round toothed. Stem leaves are 3-5-divided, with broadly lanceolate 
or ovate leaflets serrate, cut toothed or lobed. The ovate fruit is 
narrowly ribbed and about one-eighth inch long. 
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