Thaspium trifoliatum

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Thaspium trifoliatum
Thaspium trifoliatum.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Thaspium
Species:
T. trifoliatum
Binomial name
Thaspium trifoliatum

Thaspium trifoliatum, commonly called meadow-parsnip [1] or purple meadow-parsnip [2] 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 (excluding the region of New England) and in Ontario, Canada. [3] It has a broad natural habitat, which includes mesic to dry forests and woodlands, prairies, bluffs, and rock outcrops. [4] [5]

Contents

Description

Thaspium trifoliatum is an herbaceous perennial growing 30–91 cm (1–3 ft) tall. It has a few basal leaves that are about 3–10 cm (1–4 in) across and heart-shaped. Stem leaves are alternate and trifoliate, with 3 lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate leaflets measuring 3–5 cm (1–2 in) long. [6] The leaflets are finely serrate with a notably white-translucent margin. [4]

The inflorescence is a compound, flat umbel with very small flowers at the end of the upper stems. The flower at the center of the umbel is slightly higher than the others. [7] Each umbel is 3–8 cm (1–3 in) across. [8] The flowers are golden yellow or dark maroon, produced in mid to late spring (ranging from April-June regionally). [4] [5]

The yellow-flowered variety of Thaspium trifoliatum bears a striking resemblance to Zizia aptera , with which it is frequently misidentified when not in fruit. [6] Thaspium trifoliatum can be distinguished by its glabrous stem internodes (as opposed to minutely puberulent), and pedicelled central umbellet flower (as opposed to sessile). [5] Maroon-flowered populations are more easily recognized as Zizia aptera is strictly yellow.

Taxonomy

Two varieties have often been recognized. However, some botanists have expressed uncertainty on which characters should be used to distinguish them, or even if they should be taxonomically recognized at all. [5] The most widely used differentiation is based on solely flower color:

Ecology

T. trifoliatum is a food source for caterpillars of the black swallowtail ( Papilio polyxenes ) and Ozark swallowtail ( Papilio joanae ) butterflies. [6]

Related Research Articles

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

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, Satan celery, Indian celery, Indian rhubarb, poison turnip or pushki.

<i>Rudbeckia laciniata</i> Species of flowering plant

Rudbeckia laciniata, the cutleaf coneflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is widespread in both Canada and the United States. Its natural habitat is wet sites in flood plains, along stream banks, and in moist forests. Common names other than cutleaf coneflower include cutleaf, goldenglow, green-headed coneflower, tall coneflower, sochan and thimbleweed.

<i>Anemonoides quinquefolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae

Anemonoides quinquefolia, a flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, is native to North America. It is commonly called wood anemone or windflower, not to be confused with Anemonoides nemorosa, a closely related European species also known by these common names. The specific epithet quinquefolia means "five-leaved", which is a misnomer since each leaf has just three leaflets. A plant typically has a single, small white flower with 5 sepals.

<i>Geum triflorum</i> Species of flowering plant

Geum triflorum, commonly known as prairie smoke, old man's whiskers, torchflower, three-sisters, long-plumed purple avens, lion's beard, or three-flowered avens, is a spring-blooming perennial herbaceous plant of the Rosaceae family. It is a hemiboreal continental climate species that is widespread in colder and drier environments of western North America, although it does occur in isolated populations as far east as New York and Ontario. It is particularly known for the long feathery plumes on the seed heads that have inspired many of the regional common names and aid in wind dispersal of its seeds.

<i>Anemonastrum narcissiflorum</i> Species of flowering plant

Anemonastrum narcissiflorum, the narcissus anemone or narcissus-flowered anemone, is a herbaceous perennial in the genus Anemonastrum and the buttercup family. Basionym: Anemone narcissiflora Hook. & Arn.

<i>Echinacea paradoxa</i> Species of flowering plant

Echinacea paradoxa, the yellow coneflower, Bush's purple coneflower, or Ozark coneflower, is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to southern Missouri, Arkansas, and south-central Oklahoma, It is listed as threatened in Arkansas.

<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.

<i>Cypripedium parviflorum</i> Species of orchid

Cypripedium parviflorum, commonly known as yellow lady's slipper or moccasin flower, is a lady's slipper orchid native to North America. It is widespread, ranging from Alaska south to Arizona and Georgia. It grows in fens, wetlands, shorelines, and damp woodlands.

<i>Agoseris aurantiaca</i> Species of flowering plant

Agoseris aurantiaca is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae, commonly called orange agoseris or mountain dandelion. It is widespread in western North America.

<i>Zizia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Zizia is a genus of flowering plants in the parsley family, Apiaceae. It was named after Johann Baptist Ziz (1779–1829), a German botanist from the Rhineland. It is native to North America.

<i>Zizia aurea</i> Species of flowering plant

Zizia aurea is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant of the carrot family Apiaceae. It is native to eastern Canada and the United States, from the eastern Great Plains to the Atlantic Coast. The genus is named for Johann Baptist Ziz, a German botanist. The common name is based on the similarity to alexanders, another member of the carrot family from coastal areas in Europe and Northern Africa.

<i>Zizia aptera</i> Species of flowering plant

Zizia aptera is a flowering plant native to North America. Its common names include meadow zizia, golden alexanders, heart leaved golden alexanders, and prairie golden alexanders.

<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>Paeonia delavayi</i> Shrub in the family Paeoniaceae from southwest China

Paeonia delavayi is a low woody shrub belonging to the peonies, that is endemic to China. The vernacular name in China is 滇牡丹. In English it is called Delavay's tree peony, Delavay peony, Dian peony, and dian mu dan. It mostly has red brown to yellow, nodding flowers from mid May to mid June. The light green, delicate looking deciduous leaves consist of many segments, and are alternately arranged on new growth.

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

Papilio joanae, the Ozark swallowtail, is a North American butterfly species in the family Papilionidae. It was once considered a synonym of the black swallowtail.

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

Angelica capitellata, synonym Sphenosciadium capitellatum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae. When treated as Sphenosciadium capitellatum, it was the only species in the monotypic genus Sphenosciadium. It is known by the common names woollyhead parsnip, ranger's buttons, button parsley, and swamp white heads.

<i>Thaspium</i> Genus of plants

Thaspium is a genus of flowering plants in the Apiaceae. A common name for the various Thaspium species is meadowparsnip or meadow-parsip. Its native range is eastern North America, from eastern Texas in the southwest to Maine in the northeast.

<i>Thaspium pinnatifidum</i> Species of flowering plant

Thaspium pinnatifidum, commonly called cutleaf 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 the southern Appalachian Mountains, being found in parts of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Within these states it has a sporadic and limited range

<i>Oenanthe silaifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

References

  1. Thaspium trifoliatum Michigan Flora Online, University of Michigan Herbarium
  2. "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org.
  3. "Thaspium trifoliatum". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Yatskievych, George (2006). Flora of Missouri, Volume 2. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. p. 108.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Weakley, Alan (2020). "Flora of the Southeastern United States".
  6. 1 2 3 IllinoisWildflowers Purple Meadow Parsnip Thaspium trifoliatum trifoliatum
  7. Denison, Edgar (2017). Missouri Wildflowers (Sixth ed.). Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri. p. 129. ISBN   978-1-887247-59-7.
  8. "Thaspium trifoliatum (Purple Meadow Parsnip) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox". plants.ces.ncsu.edu.