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White Wildflower Gallery

Umbrella Shapes - Parsley Family

     

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) - Parsley family
Queen Anne's Lace (Wild Carrot) Daucus carota
Flat to slightly domed cluster is 4"-6" wide. Cluster is made up of smaller clusters. The center flower of the main cluster is dark red. Old flower clusters cup upward to make a "birds nest". Plant can grow to 4 feet tall. Fern-like leaves are finely cut. This is the ancestor of the modern carrot. It is an invasive species that can be found wild in almost all parts of the USA. The taproot can be eaten, though as it ages the center becomes woody. Plant lives 2 years.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2005
(Introduced, native of Europe)

              

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) - Parsley family
American Wild Carrot Daucus pusillus
Flat to cupped flower cluster about 1 1/4" wide. Under the flower cluster are modified leaves that support it. They can be longer than the cluster is wide. Flowers do not last long, then they turn into prickly seed pods. Fern-like leaves are finely cut. Plant grows to 2-3 feet tall.
Photos taken in Coleman County, Texas, May 2004
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2005, dry head in June 2005
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

  

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) - Parsley family
Field Hedge Parsley (Spreading Hedge Parsley) Torilis arvensis
Each flower cluster 1/4"-1/2" wide. Petals on outside of cluster larger than others. Fruit is very fuzzy (prickly). Plant can grow 3 feet tall. It survives mowing, leaving a woody stem.
Photos taken in Coleman County, Texas, May 2004
(Introduced, native of the Mediterranean - Coleman, Brown)

Similar Species

Prairie Bishop's-weed (Prairie Bishop) Bifora americana
Flowers have five white petals (larger than Hedge Parsley) that spread flat and are grouped in clusters. Several clusters bloom at the end of the stalk. Leaves are thread-like segments. Upright plant 18"-24" tall.
(Native of Texas - Brown)

Knotted Hedgeparsley Torilis nodosa
Tiny flower clusters at leaf nodes. Reclined branches from deep taproot.
(Introduced, native of Europe - Brown)

                    

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) - Parsley family
Bigroot Springparsley Cymopterus macrorhizus
Flower clusters are at the end of a long stem without leaves. Secondary flower clusters grow on longer stems than the original. Winged seedpods, 3/8" tall.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, March 2007, May 2010
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Jones, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, Coke, Nolan)

Other Species in My Area

Plains Sandparsley Ammoselinum popei
Multi-branching plant with very thin cut leaves. Flowers are tiny in thick clusters. Fruit is long and wide with ribs and bumps.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Jones, Shackelford, Callahan, Nolan)

Hoary Bowlesia Bowlesia incana
Stems have thick short hairs. Flowers are tiny at nodes. "Round" leaves have 5 major cuts and a few minor.
(Native of Texas - Coleman, Brown)

Hairyfruit Chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
Small terminal clusters of tiny flowers with 5 white petals around a central green head. Fruit is very long. Hairy stems. Parsley-like leaf.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Shackelford, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

Poison Hemlock Conium maculatum
Small white flowers in flat dome clusters, several clusters make up a larger cluster. The 5 petals are fairly large and heart shaped. Central green head has two parts. Parsley-like leaf. Highly poisonous.
(Introduced, native of Europe & Africa, invasive - near but not in my area)

Texas Spreadwing Eurytaenia texana
Upright with little branching. Large lover leaves are toothed. Upper leaves tiny, very linear. Flowers in clusters with multiple clusters, stems from a single point elongate.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Brown, Runnels, Coke, Nolan)

Nuttall's Prairie Parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
Heavy stems.  Terminal flower clusters in clusters. Flowers yellowish.
(Native of Texas - Coleman, Brown)

Texas Prairie Parsley Polytaenia texana
Yellow/green flowers are in dense clusters. Fruit is elongated and produce wings.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Brown)

Canadian Blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Fruit has hairy prickles like Noseburn or white coffee. Leaves like Virginia Creeper.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Coke)

Roughfruit Scaleseed Spermolepis divaricata
Tiny flowers in small terminal clusters.
(Native of Texas - Callahan)

Bristly Scaleseed Spermolepis echinata
Tiny plant. Green/white flowers in small clusters. Prickly fruit. Very linear leaf cuts.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Callahan, Brown, Coke)

Red River Scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
Multi-branching bush. Green/white flowers in small clusters. Prickly fruit. Very linear leaf cuts.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Brown, Coke, Nolan)