| Oenanthe lachenalii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Oenanthe |
| Species: | O. lachenalii |
| Binomial name | |
| Oenanthe lachenalii C.C. Gmel. | |
Oenanthe lachenalii, parsley water-dropwort, is a flowering plant in the carrot family, which is native to Europe and parts of North Africa. It is a declining plant of coastal wetlands.
Parsley water-dropwort is a hairless perennial growing up to 100 cm tall with solid (sometimes becoming hollow with age), striated, cylindrical stems 0.4 cm in diameter. The roots are somewhat swollen, cylindrical in shape, but lacking the distinct tubers that occur in some other members of the genus. The upper leaves are once to twice pinnate with simple linear leaflets up to 5 cm long; the lower ones are twice pinnate, with wider, flat leaflets, more like those of other umbellifers. The leaf stalks are shorter than the leaf blade, sheathing the stem at the base, and with a celery scent. [1] [2]
It flowers between June and September in northern Europe, with umbels of 5-9 smaller umbels about 1-2 cm in diameter, each of which has numerous white flowers. There are about 5 awl-shaped bracts on the main umbel and 5-7 small bracteoles at the base of each of the individual umbellules. Plants are monoecious, with hermaphroditic and male flowers in all umbels, but the proportion of hermaphroditic flowers decreases as the season progresses. Each flower has 5 unequal petals with the larger, outer ones slightly larger, 5 stamens and 2 prominent styles arising from a swollen base (stylopodium) at the top of the ovary. After flowering, the flower stalks do not expand (as they do in some other species of water-dropwort) and the umbels do not become flat-topped. [1] [3]
This species is very similar to narrow-leaved water-dropwort, to the extent that there is often confusion between them. In general, they should be easy to distinguish: parsley water-dropwort usually has bracts on the main umbels, the rays do not thicken after flowering, and the umblets do not become flat-topped in fruit. However, some plants lack bracts and could be difficult to identify in flower. Usually, parsley water-dropwort will have broader (parsley-like) leaflets on the lower leaves early in the year. The best way to confirm identification is from the mature fruit, which are winged in parsley water-dropwort and only ridged in the other species. [1]
The first description of parsley water-dropwort was by the German botanist Karl Christian Gmelin in his Flora Badensis Alsatica [4] in 1805. It has many synonyms (i.e. other authors have subsequently named the same plant, but Gmelin's name has precedence), including O. approximata Mérat (1812), O. foucaudii Tess. (1891) Phellandrium tabernaemontani Bubani (1899). A full list can be found in the Synonymic Checklists of the Plants of the World. [5] A few forms and varieties have also been named, but none is currently accepted.
It is not known to hybridise with any other species. [3]
The generic name Oenanthe , which comes from the Ancient Greek οίνος, "wine" and άνθος, "flower", was used in ancient times for certain Mediterranean plants and later adopted to describe this genus. The "dropwort" part of the common name is a reference to the tubers produced amongst the roots of certain other species in the genus. [6]
Its chromosome number is 2n = 22 (based on British specimens). [1]
The global range of parsley water-dropwort is in Western Europe as far as Poland and Greece, extending northwards to southern Scandinavia and southwards as far as the coast of Africa. It is not recorded as an introduction beyond its natural range. [7]
In Britain, it is classified as Least Concern, meaning that it is not rare nor declining at a particularly high rate. [8] It is, however, under threat, especially inland. In England, it has been assessed as decreasing by 24% between 1969 and 1999, and in one English county, Kent, by as much as 41%, although it is still not scarce. Causes of decline include drainage of wetlands and agricultural intensification. [9] [10]
It is considered an axiophyte in any British county. [11]
In France, it is widespread and classified as Least Concern, indicating that populations are generally stable, overall. However, it is rare and threatened in some inland régions such as Alsace, where it is Critically Endangered (CR) and Île-de-France (Endangered, EN). In the Auvergne it is thought to be extinct, or 'locally extirpated'. [12]
This is a wetland plant, occurring primarily in slightly brackish grassland close to the coast. It is also found in freshwater inland marshes, particularly in France and Spain. In Britain, its ecological preferences are described as varying from the upper part of salt marshes, through brackish dykes to base-rich fen-meadows inland. It is fairly common around the coast of both Britain and Ireland, with the exception of northern and eastern Scotland. [9]
Its Ellenberg values in Britain are L = 8, F = 8, R = 8, N = 5, and S = 3. [13]
In the Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, in Spain, studies show that it occurs in a variety of habitats, from tall fescue/meadow barley meadows with wild celery, saltmarsh rush and narrow-leaved bird's-foot trefoil, to wetter water finger-grass/divided sedge grassland and through to brackish marsh with annual beard-grass, sea aster and Somerset rush. [14] [15]
Although it can be a component of hay meadows, parsley water-dropwort is considered to be poisonous to livestock, albeit not as toxic as hemlock water-dropwort. [16] No part of the plant is edible by humans, and it appears to have no commercial uses.
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 identity is unclear and which may be extinct.
Petroselinum is a genus of two parsley species of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, native to western and southern Europe and northern Africa.
Oenanthe, known as water dropworts, oenanthes, water parsleys, and water celeries, are a genus of plants in the family Apiaceae. Most of the species grow in damp ground, such as in marshes or in water.
Smyrnium olusatrum, common name alexanders is an edible flowering plant of the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), which grows on waste ground and in hedges around the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal regions of Europe. It was formerly widely grown as a pot herb, but is now appreciated mostly by foragers.
Anthriscus sylvestris, known as cow parsley, wild chervil, wild beaked parsley, Queen Anne's lace or keck, is a herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant in the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), genus Anthriscus. It is also sometimes called mother-die, a name that is also applied to the common hawthorn. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwestern Africa. It is related to other diverse members of Apiaceae, such as parsley, carrot, hemlock and hogweed. It is often confused with Daucus carota, another member of the Apiaceae also known as "Queen Anne's lace" or "wild carrot".
Heracleum sphondylium, commonly known as hogweed, common hogweed or cow parsnip, is a herbaceous perennial or biennial plant, in the umbelliferous family Apiaceae that includes fennel, cow parsley, ground elder and giant hogweed. It is native to Europe and Asia. The common name eltrot may also be applied, but is not specific to this species. Umbelliferous plants are so named because of the umbrella-like arrangement of flowers they produce. The North American species Heracleum maximum is sometimes included as a subspecies of H. sphondylium.
Portencross is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about three kilometres west of Seamill and about two kilometres south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for Portencross Castle.
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.
Oenanthe pimpinelloides is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae known by the common name corky-fruited water-dropwort. It is a plant of damp or dry grassland and more ruderal tall herb communities.
Oenanthe sarmentosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae known by the common name water parsley. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California, where it grows in wet areas, such as streambanks. It is sometimes aquatic, growing in the water. The plant has been used in cultivation in wetlands, and the recent discovery of several colonies growing by a stream in Illinois demonstrates its capacity to become a noxious weed if it is introduced elsewhere. This is a perennial herb growing to a maximum height near 1.5 meters. The leaves have blades up to 30 centimeters long borne on petioles up to 35 centimeters in length. The parsley-like leaf blade is divided into serrated, lobed leaflets. The inflorescence is a compound umbel of many flowers with bright white to red-tinged petals.
Oenanthe javanica, commonly Java waterdropwort, water celery, water dropwort, Chinese celery, Indian pennywort and Japanese parsley, is a plant of the genus Oenanthe originating from East Asia. It has a widespread native distribution in temperate Asia and tropical Asia, and is also native to Queensland, Australia.
Ligusticum scoticum, known as Scots lovage, or Scottish licorice-root, is a perennial flowering plant in the celery family Apiaceae found near the coasts of northern Europe and north-eastern North America. It grows up to 60 centimetres (24 in) tall and is found in rock crevices and cliff-top grassland. It is closely related to, and possibly conspecific with, Ligusticum hultenii from the coast of the northern Pacific Ocean. The plant is edible and contains the compound sotolon, which is also present in fenugreek. The leaves have a flavour similar to parsley or celery, while the seeds taste similar to fenugreek or cumin.
Oenanthe crocata, hemlock water-dropwort is a flowering plant in the carrot family, native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It grows in damp grassland and wet woodland, often along river and stream banks. All parts of the plant are extremely toxic and it has been known to cause human and livestock poisoning.
Oenanthe aquatica, fine-leaved water-dropwort, is an aquatic flowering plant in the carrot family. It is widely distributed from the Atlantic coast of Europe to central Asia.
Farnham Mires is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI, to the east of the village of Farnham, North Yorkshire, England. It consists of a spring-fed marshy fen or mire with reeds and sedge, and drier calcareous grassland containing a diverse range of flora. It has a history of poaching and fox hunting, but since the late 19th century, the attention of botanists has been drawn to its large variety of flowering plants. It has received some consideration on this account since 1944, and from 1954 it was designated SSSI status. This site has no facilities, and is not open to the public.
Helosciadium × longipedunculatum, synonym Apium × longipedunculatum, is a hybrid plant in the umbellifer family (Apiaceae); the result of hybridisation between Helosciadium repens and Helosciadium nodiflorum.
× Beruladium procurrens is an intergeneric hybrid plant in the umbellifer family (Apiaceae); the result of hybridisation between Berula erecta and Helosciadium nodiflorum.
Oenanthe fistulosa, tubular water-dropwort, is a flowering plant in the carrot family, native to Europe, North Africa and western parts of Asia. It is an uncommon plant of wetlands, growing around pools and along ditches, mainly in areas of high conservation value.
Oenanthe fluviatilis, the river water-dropwort, is a flowering plant in the carrot family, Apiaceae, which is endemic to north-west Europe. It grows only in clear, unpolluted rivers and is declining throughout its range.
Oenanthe silaifolia, narrow-leaved water-dropwort, is a flowering plant in the carrot family, which is native to Europe and adjacent parts of Asia and North Africa. It is an uncommon plant of water-meadows and wetlands.
