Apiaceae: Umbels, Aromatic Seeds and Deadly Poison!

Apiaceae, also known as Umbellifereae, is commonly known as the carrot or parsley family. This family has 434 genera and 3,700 species including many culinary plants such as angelica, anise, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, parsnip, parsley, lovage and parsley. But don’t take this common name or numerus culinary plants as a reason to forage on wild species as the Apiaceae contains some of the most poisonous plants and accounts for the most poisonings from wild foraging every year!

Most notable are the non-native, highly poisonous species such as poison hemlock (Conium malculatum), and water hemlock (Cicuta spp), and phototoxic giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa). All parts of these plants are very toxic to sheep, cattle, swine, horses and other domestic animals if they eat even small amounts of dried or fresh parts of the plant. It is written that Socrates may have been executed by being forced to drink a tea made from poison hemlock.

Giant Hogweed

Poison Hemlock

Water Hemlock

Wild Parsnip

For identification, the most distinctive pattern of the Parsley family are compound or simple umbels. This inflorescence has all the stems of the flower cluster radiate from a single point at the end of the stalk, like an umbrella. At the end of each of these flower stems there is another umbrella of even smaller stems, hence the “compound umbrella” or “compound umbel”. To be a true umbel, the stems or spokes must all radiate from exactly the same point. Other flowers like the common yarrow may appear to have compound umbels, but look closer and you will see that the flower stems are staggered off the main stalk, so the yarrow is not a member of this family. Another pattern of the Parsley family is that the stems are usually, but not always hollow.

Members of the Apiaceae family are annual, biennial or perennial. Few are woody shrubs and small trees. Leaves are variable, alternate or almost opposite, with sheathing bases and hollow internodes. Leaves may be petiolate or sessile, leaf blade usually dissected, but they can be simple and entire. Leaves commonly have an odor when crushed such as aromatic, fetid, or absent. Leaves are also frequently clustered at the base.

The inflorescence characteristically have terminal umbels which may be simple or compound. Many flowers are perfect, hermaphroditic, but some are dioecious. Fruits of many in this family are dispersed by wind; others have bristles to attach to animals. Some seeds contain aromatic oils such as anise, cumin and coriander. These have been used as spices throughout history.

chervil

fennel

Variety of carrots

Cumin seed

cilantro/coriander

cumin

chervil

Apiaceae members grow in cool season gardens best, and most species are concentrated in temperate regions. Many are cultivated for food and to attract pollinators. Black swallowtail uses Apiaceae for food and to lay eggs. Flowers also attract lady bugs, parasitic wasps and predatory flies.