WILD CHERVIL 



Chaerophyllum procumbens (L.) Crantz 



April Where the lowhiiid woods is bisected hy the <:iilh)|)iiig creek. 



Woods the Ihx)!' ot the woods heiiciith the elms iiiid Kentucky eoU'ee 

 trees is pale blue with X'iruiuia bluebells all in bh)oni. There 

 is the white froth of anemones, (lutehnian's breeehes, toothwort, and 

 spriui:- l)eauties. and the delieatc tiny white ll;)wers of the spreading 

 chenil are like line. s|)ray tossed above the leaves. 



Spreadini:- chervil is one of the very eai'ly tiowi-i's to a|)pear in Ajjril. 

 It is a low. weak, juicy-stennned little plant with compound, parsley-like 

 leaves and small uronp- ui tinv white Ihiwcrs, each with five petals, in 

 clusters here and there on the i)lant. Spieadinu" chervil is abundant where 

 it <rrows ; it fills the substratum beneath the bluebells and spice bushes 

 and pawjjaw ti'<'es; it <rrows close to the jzround and jiroiluces its flowers 

 for several weeks, until deep -hade ap|)ear> in ilie woods and the spring 

 blo.ssoms are gone. 



The seeds of spreading chei"vil come (piickly. ri|)en, are disjiersed. 

 and the little plants by anil by disappear uniler the (K'cp shadows of l)lue- 

 grass and hor>ewee(l>. The lilueliell> are all gmie, hut the memory of their 

 blueness and the froth ot the tiny wldte llowers of chervil beneath them 

 remains until once again springtime conu>s to th(^ lowland woods. 



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