The simple, sparingly branched stalk grows from 2 to 3 feet high, and is round, smooth, slightly grooved, and hollow; it is green in color.
The leaf is deeply cut, or divided, from the base, (“palmate”) into from 3 to 6 long-pointed divisions, sharply notched on the edge; in color rather dark green. The leaves clasp the stalk by a very short, leafy sheath, and appear clustered at the top, and alternate below, while the root-leaves are on long stems.
The small, greenish-yellow flower has 5 petals with the tips turned inward and tucked down into the center of the flower; under the petals are concealed the stamens (which emerge at length, however). The flowers are on very short foot-stems arranged in hemispherical heads, three or four heads usually in a cluster, on the end of the stem. Two kinds, stamen-bearing and pistil-bearing, are found in the same head; the former dry up brown, while the latter develop burs armed with little hooked spines.
Though the flower is not conspicuous in color, the plant claims notice for its rather graceful, swaying gesture.
SANICLE: Sanicula Marylandica.
| Cow Parsnip. | Heracleum lanatum. |
Found in moist rich grounds, often on the edge of shade, in blossom in June.
The stalk grows very tall, sometimes 7 or 8 feet high; it is large, round, and grooved—though not deeply so; it is hollow, with a strong parsnip smell; and grass-green in color.
The leaf is compound, in three divisions, and large, the lower leaves being sometimes a foot or more in length; each leaflet is more or less deeply lobed, and sharply notched on the edge, and set on a short foot-stem; the ribs are large, the upper surface almost smooth, while the lower surface is soft and woolly; coarse in texture, and of a strong dark green color. The main foot-stem of the leaf, widens into a leafy membrane that partly clasps the stalk. The few large leaves are alternate.