Heracleum maximum

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Heracleum maximum
Heracleum lanatum from High Trail.jpg
In the Sierra Nevada mountains
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Subfamily: Apioideae
Tribe: Tordylieae
Subtribe: Tordyliinae
Genus: Heracleum
Species:
H. maximum
Binomial name
Heracleum maximum
Synonyms [3]

See text.

Heracleum maximum, commonly known as cow parsnip, is the only member of the genus Heracleum native to North America. It is also known as American cow-parsnip, [4] Satan celery, Indian celery, Indian rhubarb, [5] poison turnip [6] or pushki.

Contents

Description

The leaves are up to 40 cm (16 in) across and divided into lobes. Heracleum lanatum buds.jpg
The leaves are up to 40 cm (16 in) across and divided into lobes.
The seeds are .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px} 8-12 mm (5/16-1/2 in) long and 5-8 mm (3/16-5/16 in) wide. Heracleum maximum 3935.JPG
The seeds are 8–12 mm (5⁄16–1⁄2 in) long and 5–8 mm (3⁄16–5⁄16 in) wide.

Cow parsnip is a tall herbaceous perennial plant, [7] reaching heights of 3 metres (10 feet). [8] The stems are hollow and densely hairy. [9] The leaves are very large, up to 40 centimetres (16 inches) across and divided into three lobes. [8] Cow parsnip has the characteristic flower umbels of the carrot family (Apiaceae), blooming from February to September. [8] The umbels can reach 30 cm (12 in) across, [8] flat-topped or rounded, and composed of small white flowers. Sometimes the outer flowers of the umbel are much larger than the inner ones. The seeds are 8–12 millimetres (3⁄8–1⁄2 in) long and 5–8 mm (3⁄16–5⁄16 in) wide. [10]

Similar species

Heracleum maximum is commonly confused with Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed), [11] a much larger plant that typically has purplish spots on the stems, as well as more sharply serrated leaves. [12]

Other tall invasive Heracleum species include H. mantegazzianum , H. sosnowskyi , and H. persicum . Other similar species include wild carrot, cow parsley, poison hemlock, wild parsnip, and species of the genus Angelica . [11]

Taxonomy

The Plant List (which was last updated in 2013) classified H. maximum, H. lanatum, and H. sphondylium subsp. montanum as distinct species. [13] [14] [15] According to both the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) or the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), H. lanatum and H. maximum are synonyms for H. sphondylium subsp. montanum, [16] [17] a name proposed by Brummitt in 1971. [18] [19]

According to the Plant List and Plants of the World Online, H. lanatum and H. maximum are both accepted names, the latter with no infraspecific taxa. [13] [20] [lower-alpha 1] On the other hand, neither are recognized as accepted names by either the ITIS or NPGS. Besides H. lanatum and H. maximum, various scientific names have been attributed to this species. [21]

Synonyms of the grouping previously classified H. lanatum include:

Synonyms listed at Plants of the World Online include: [20]

As H. lanatum, it is listed as having the variety asiaticum. [5] [21] [20]

The genus name Heracleum (from "Heracles") refers to the very large size of all parts of these plants. [22]

Heracleum maximum Bart. Batiscan River banks, Quebec Heracleum maximum 028.jpg
Heracleum maximum Bart. Batiscan River banks, Quebec

Distribution and habitat

Big pushki.jpg
Specimen in Homer, Alaska
Big pushki in winter.jpg
The same spot in late winter, showing the dead white stalks

The species is native to North America, being distributed throughout most of the continental United States (except the Gulf Coast and a few neighboring states), ranging from the Aleutian Islands and Alaska in the far northwest to Newfoundland on the east coast, extending south as far as California, New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio, and Georgia. It occurs from sea level to elevations of about 2,700 m (9,000 ft). [10] It is especially prevalent in Alaska, where it is often found growing amongst plants like devil's club, which is nearly identical in size and somewhat similar in appearance, and monkshood, a very toxic flower. In Canada, it is found in every province and territory except Nunavut. It is listed as "Endangered" in Kentucky and "Special Concern" in Tennessee. [23] The plant is also found in Siberia, East Asia, and the Kuril Islands. [21] [5] [24] [25]

Ecology

The species is widely recognized as a valuable pasture plant for cows, sheep, and goats. It is also known to be important in the diets of numerous wild animals, especially bears, both grizzly bears and black bears. [21] It is a host plant for the black swallowtail butterfly ( Papilio polyxenes ), short-tailed swallowtail butterfly ( Papilio brevicauda ), old world swallowtail butterfly ( Papilio machaon ), anise swallowtail butterfly ( Papilio zelicaon ), and the moths Eupithecia tripunctaria , Papaipema harrisii , Papaipema impecuniosa , Agonopterix clemensella , Agonopterix flavicomella , and Depressaria pastinacella . [26]

Toxicity

The plant contains furanocoumarins such as xanthotoxin, [27] angelicin, pimpinellin and isopimpinellin, isoimperatorin, bergapten and isobergapten, 6‐isopentenyloxyisobergapten , and sphondin. [28] [29] [27] In one study, the young leaves did not contain xanthotoxin, but older, senescing leaves contained "substantial amounts". [27] Some of these furanocoumarins found in cow parsnip are known to have antimicrobial [28] [27] properties and are responsible for a rash producing erythematous vesicles (burn-like blisters) and hyperpigmentation that occurs after getting the clear sap onto one's skin. [30] [27] [31] They are photosensitive, with the rash occurring only after exposure to ultraviolet light. [27] [31] Because of this, phytophotodermatitis causing skin blistering may occur after coming into contact with the sap on a sunny day. [31] The scars and pigmentation from these blisters caused by some Heracleum species can last for months or years. [28]

Uses

The thick flower stems, coming into season in early summer, can be peeled and eaten cooked when young, as was done by Native Americans. [32] [8] Caution should be taken as the flowers resemble those of the extremely poisonous Cicuta maculata . [33]

Indigenous North Americans have had a variety of uses for cow parsnip, often traveling long distances in the spring—80 kilometres (50 miles) or more—to find the succulent plant shoots. [5] The young stems and leafstalks were peeled and usually eaten raw, while early American settlers cooked the plant. [34] In terms of taste, texture, and nutrients, the peeled stalks resembled celery, which gave rise to the common name "Indian celery". The natives were aware of the toxic effects of the plant, knowing that if the outer skin were not removed, one would get an "itchy mouth" or blistering skin. [5] [30] Pregnant women were warned away from the flower bud stalks to prevent newborns from asphyxiating when crying. [5]

At least seven native groups in North America used the plant as a dermatological aid. [5] It could be an ingredient in poultices applied to bruises or sores. [5] [35] A poultice prepared from the roots of cow parsnip was applied to swellings, especially of the feet. [21] The dried stems were used as drinking straws for the old or infirm, or made into flutes for children. An infusion of the flowers can be rubbed on the body to repel flies and mosquitoes. A yellow dye can be made from the roots. [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apiaceae</span> Family of flowering plants

Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus Apium and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plants, with more than 3,800 species in about 446 genera, including such well-known and economically important plants as ajwain, angelica, anise, asafoetida, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, lovage, cow parsley, parsley, parsnip and sea holly, as well as silphium, a plant whose exact identity is unclear and which may be extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parsnip</span> Root vegetable in the flowering plant family Apiaceae

The parsnip is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, all belonging to the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual. Its long taproot has cream-colored skin and flesh, and, left in the ground to mature, becomes sweeter in flavor after winter frosts. In its first growing season, the plant has a rosette of pinnate, mid-green leaves. If unharvested, it produces a flowering stem topped by an umbel of small yellow flowers in its second growing season, later producing pale brown, flat, winged seeds. By this time, the stem has become woody, and the tap root inedible. Precautions should be taken when handling the stems and foliage, as parsnip sap can cause a skin rash or even blindness if exposed to sunlight after handling.

<i>Papilio polyxenes</i> Species of insect

Papilio polyxenes, the (eastern) black swallowtail, American swallowtail or parsnip swallowtail, is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. An extremely similar-appearing species, Papilio joanae, occurs in the Ozark Mountains region, but it appears to be closely related to Papilio machaon, rather than P. polyxenes. The species is named after the figure in Greek mythology, Polyxena, who was the youngest daughter of King Priam of Troy. Its caterpillar is called the parsley worm because the caterpillar feeds on parsley.

<i>Heracleum</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants in the celery family

Heracleum is a genus of biennial and perennial herbs in the carrot family Apiaceae. They are found throughout the temperate northern hemisphere and in high mountains as far south as Ethiopia. Common names for the genus or its species include hogweed and cow parsnip.

<i>Heracleum mantegazzianum</i> Species of flowering plant

Heracleum mantegazzianum, commonly known as giant hogweed, is a monocarpic perennial herbaceous plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. H. mantegazzianum is also known as cartwheel-flower, giant cow parsley, giant cow parsnip, or hogsbane. In New Zealand, it is also sometimes called wild parsnip or wild rhubarb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methoxsalen</span> Chemical compound

Methoxsalen, sold under the brand name Oxsoralen among others, is a medication used to treat psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and some cutaneous lymphomas in conjunction with exposing the skin to ultraviolet (UVA) light from lamps or sunlight. Methoxsalen modifies the way skin cells receive the UVA radiation, allegedly clearing up the disease. Levels of individual patient PUVA exposure were originally determined using the Fitzpatrick scale. The scale was developed after patients demonstrated symptoms of phototoxicity after oral ingestion of methoxsalen followed by PUVA therapy. Chemically, methoxsalen belongs to a class of organic natural molecules known as furanocoumarins. They consist of coumarin annulated with furan. It can also be injected and used topically.

<i>Heracleum sphondylium</i> Species of flowering plant in the celery family Apiaceae

Heracleum sphondylium, commonly known as hogweed or common hogweed, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the carrot family Apiaceae, which includes fennel, cow parsley, ground elder and giant hogweed. It is native to most of Europe, western Asia and northern Africa, but is introduced in North America and elsewhere. Other common names include cow parsnip or eltrot. The flowers provide a great deal of nectar for pollinators.

<i>Ligusticum porteri</i> Species of flowering plant

Ligusticum porteri, also known as oshá, wild parsnip, Porter’s Lovage or wild celery, is a perennial herb found in parts of the Rocky Mountains and northern New Mexico, especially in the southwestern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Furanocoumarin</span> Class of organic chemical compounds

The furanocoumarins, or furocoumarins, are a class of organic chemical compounds produced by a variety of plants. Most of the plant species found to contain furanocoumarins belong to a handful of plant families. The families Apiaceae and Rutaceae include the largest numbers of plant species that contain furanocoumarins. The families Moraceae and Fabaceae include a few widely distributed plant species that contain furanocoumarins.

<i>Sium suave</i> Species of flowering plant

Sium suave, the water parsnip or hemlock waterparsnip, is a perennial wildflower in the family Apiaceae. It is native to many areas of both Asia and North America. The common name water parsnip is due to its similarity to parsnip and its wetland habitat. The alternate common name hemlock waterparsnip is due to its similarity to the highly poisonous spotted water hemlock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phytophotodermatitis</span> Medical condition

Phytophotodermatitis, also known as berloque dermatitis or margarita photodermatitis, is a cutaneous phototoxic inflammatory reaction resulting from contact with a light-sensitizing botanical agent followed by exposure to ultraviolet light. Symptoms include erythema, edema, blisters, and delayed hyperpigmentation. Heat and moisture tend to exacerbate the reaction.

Heracleum persicum, commonly known as Persian hogweed or by its native name Golpar is a species of hogweed, a perennial herbaceous plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. It grows wild in humid mountainous regions in Iran and some adjacent areas. Having been introduced in the 1830s, it has spread across Scandinavia. It is now very common in northern Norway, where one of its names is Tromsø palm. The plant has also been spotted in Sweden. In Finland, it has been declared an invasive species.

<i>Angelica atropurpurea</i> Species of flowering plant

Angelica atropurpurea, known commonly as purplestem angelica, great angelica, American angelica, high angelica, and masterwort, is a species of flowering plant that can be found in moist and swampy woodlands, mostly by riverbanks, in eastern North America.

<i>Papilio brevicauda</i> Species of butterfly

Papilio brevicauda, the short-tailed swallowtail, is a North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.

<i>Heracleum sosnowskyi</i> Species of flowering plant

Heracleum sosnowskyi, or Sosnowsky's hogweed, is a monocarpic perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. Its native range includes the central and eastern Caucasus regions of Eurasia and extends into the southern Caucasus region called Transcaucasia. The native ranges of Heracleum sosnowskyi and Heracleum mantegazzianum, a close relative, overlap in the Caucasus region. Sosnowsky's hogweed is now a common weed in the Baltic States, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland.

<i>Depressaria radiella</i> Parsnip webworm

The parsnip moth or parsnip webworm is a moth of the family Depressariidae. It is found in most of Europe, except Portugal and most of the Balkan Peninsula. This species has also been introduced into New Zealand.

<i>Epermenia chaerophyllella</i> Species of moth

Epermenia chaerophyllella, also known as the garden lance-wing, is a moth of the family Epermeniidae first described by Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1783. It is found in all of Europe and Asia Minor.

<i>Phytomyza spondylii</i> Species of fly

Phytomyza spondylii is a species of leaf miner fly in the family Agromyzidae. The larvae develop inside the leaves of its host plant, making a conspicuous whitish mine. Host plants include Astrantia bieberstedtii, red masterwort Astrantia carniolica, giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum, hogweed Heracleum sphondylium and wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa.

<i>Heracleum sibiricum</i> Species of flowering plant

Heracleum sibiricum is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae. It is native to Europe and western Asia, ranging from France and Italy to western Siberia and Mongolia.

<i>Thaspium trifoliatum</i> Species of plant

Thaspium trifoliatum, commonly called meadow-parsnip or purple meadow-parsnip is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family (Apiaceae). It is native to eastern North America where it is found in many eastern U.S states and in Ontario, Canada. It has a broad natural habitat, which includes mesic to dry forests and woodlands, prairies, bluffs, and rock outcrops.

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Heracleum maximum is also accepted by the Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN), referencing the in prep family treatment in the Flora of North America project. [3]

Citations

  1. ↑ Maiz-Tome, L. (2016). "Heracleum maximum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T64314237A67729681. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Heracleum maximum". ipni.org. International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  3. 1 2 "Heracleum maximum W. Bartram". data.canadensys.net. Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN). Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  4. ↑ "Heracleum maximum". Go Botany. New England Wildflower Society. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kuhnlein, Harriet V.; Turner, Nancy J. (1986). "Cow-Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum Michx.): An Indigenous Vegetable of Native People of Northwestern North America" (PDF). J. Ethnobiol. 6 (2): 309–324.
  6. ↑ "Dictionary of Newfoundland English A-Z Index". www.heritage.nf.ca. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  7. ↑ Umberto Quattrocchi (19 April 2016). CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology (5 Volume Set). CRC Press. pp. 1959–. ISBN   978-1-4822-5064-0.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. pp. 340–341. ISBN   978-0-375-40233-3.
  9. ↑ Steven Foster; Christopher Hobbs (2002). A Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. pp. 67–. ISBN   0-395-83806-1.
  10. 1 2 Norman F. Weeden (1996), A Sierra Nevada Flora , Wilderness Press, ISBN   0-89997-204-7
  11. 1 2 "Heracleum maximum: Similar Species". iNaturalist.org. iNaturalist. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  12. ↑ "Giant Hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum". maine.gov. State of Maine: Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  13. 1 2 "Heracleum maximum W. Bartram". The Plant List, Version 1.1. 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Heracleum lanatum Michx". The Plant List, Version 1.1. 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Heracleum sphondylium subsp. montanum (Schleich. ex Gaudin) Briq". The Plant List, Version 1.1. 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum (Schleich. ex Gaudin) Briq". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Taxon: Heracleum sphondylium L. subsp. montanum (Schleich. ex Gaudin) Briq". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  18. ↑ Brummitt, R. K. (December 1971). "Relationship of Heracleum lanatumMichx. of North America to H. sphondylium of Europe". Rhodora. 73 (796): 578–584. JSTOR   23311734 . Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  19. ↑ Page, N. A.; Wall, R. E.; Darbyshire, S. J.; Mulligan, G. A. (2006). "The Biology of Invasive Alien Plants in Canada. 4. Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier". Can. J. Plant Sci. 86 (2): 569–589. doi: 10.4141/P05-158 .
  20. 1 2 3 "Heracleum maximum W.Bartram". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Campbell, Robert B. (1991). Ecology of Heracleum lanatum Michx. (cow parsnip) communities in northwestern Montana (MS thesis). University of Montana. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  22. ↑ Elizabeth L. Horn (1998), Sierra Nevada Wildflowers , Mountain Press, ISBN   0-87842-388-5
  23. ↑ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Heracleum maximum". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  24. ↑ "Heracleum lanatum Michx". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Heracleum lanatum: Cow Parsnip". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  26. ↑ "HOSTS - The Hostplants and Caterpillars Database at the Natural History Museum". www.nhm.ac.uk.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Camm, Edith L.; Wat, Chi-Kit; Towers, G. H. N. (15 November 1976). "An assessment of the roles of furanocoumarins in Heracleum lanatum". Canadian Journal of Botany. 54 (22): 2562–2566. doi:10.1139/b76-275.
  28. 1 2 3 Bahadori, Mir Babak; Dinparast, Leila; Zengin, Gokhan (November 2016). "The Genus Heracleum: A Comprehensive Review on Its Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Ethnobotanical Values as a Useful Herb". Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 15 (6): 1018–1039. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12222. PMID   33401836.
  29. ↑ O'Neill, Taryn; Johnson, John A.; Webster, Duncan; Gray, Christopher A. (May 2013). "The Canadian medicinal plant Heracleum maximum contains antimycobacterial diynes and furanocoumarins". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 147 (1): 232–237. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.03.009. PMID   23501157.
  30. 1 2 Turner, N. J. 1973. The ethnobotany of the Bella Coola Indians of British Columbia. Syesis, 6: 193-220.
  31. 1 2 3 Meades, S.J.; Schnare, D.; Lawrence, K.; Faulkner, C. "Heracleum maximum W.Bartram". Northern Ontario Plant Database. Algoma University College and Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  32. ↑ Lyons, C. P. (1956). Trees, Shrubs and Flowers to Know in Washington (1st ed.). Canada: J. M. Dent & Sons. pp. 125, 196.
  33. ↑ Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 331. ISBN   0-394-50432-1.
  34. ↑ Reiner, Ralph E. (1969). Introducing the Flowering Beauty of Glacier National Park and the Majestic High Rockies. Glacier Park, Inc. p. 18.
  35. 1 2 "BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database". herb.umd.umich.edu.
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