UMBELLIFERAE 



PARSLEY FAMILY 



GOLDEN ALEXANDERS 



Zizia aiirea (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 

 conspicuous in spring. 



The hollow, juicy, branch- 

 ing stem is smooth and grows 

 i-i}i feet high. It is often 

 tinged with red and when 

 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. 



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 I 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 truit is 

 narrowly ribbed and about one-eighth inch long. 



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