American water-parsley
Oenanthe sarmentosa Presl ex DC.
Oenanthe sarmentosa, known as American water-parsley, is a flowering plant in the Apiaceae family. It is native to western North America, including Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. This perennial herb grows in wet habitats such as streambanks and can be aquatic. It can reach up to 1.5 meters in height, with large, serrated, lobed leaves and compound umbels of white to red-tinged flowers. It has been cultivated in wetlands and has shown potential to become invasive when introduced outside its native range, as seen in Illinois.
Description
Oenanthe sarmentosa is a member of the Apiaceae family and is commonly referred to as American water-parsley. It is a perennial herb found in wet environments such as streambanks in its native range of western North America. The plant can grow up to 1.5 meters tall, with leaves up to 30 cm long on petioles up to 35 cm long. The leaves are divided into serrated, lobed leaflets. Its inflorescence is a compound umbel of white to red-tinged flowers. While it is native to the Nearctic region, it has been found growing outside its native range, showing potential to become a noxious weed in new locations.
Other common names
American water-parsleyPacific water-dropwortPacific water-parsleywater parsely
Distribution
British Columbia · Nearctic · Global · Alaska · California · Oregon · Washington
Synonyms
Cicuta californicaHelosciadium californicumOenanthe californicaOenanthe sarmentosa var. californicaOenanthe phellandrium
