Hemlock
Hemlock in rough grassland
Large umbel
Small umbel
Few recurved upper bracks
Bracteoles on one side of small umbels
Leaves
Purple blotched stem
Conium maculatum
Apiaceae
June to August
It is found throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Hemlock
It is an archaeophyte and grows by water, alongside paths
and roads and on waste ground.
Hemlock is a foetid, biennial herb, growing up to 2.5m.
Flowers are in compound umbels with each umbel up to
5cm.
Flowers are 2mm with 5 white petals with slight clefts.
The stamens and anthers are white and appear before
the style and stigma (protandrous).
Bracts at the base of the umbel are small, few and bent
back.
The bracteoles at the bottom of the small umbels are also
small, bent back and on only one side of the small umbel.
The leaves are fern-like, ranging from 2 to 5 pinnate.
The stems are hollow, hairless and spotted with purple.
Hemlock sometimes forms large stands of plants in wet
meadows and along roads.
Hemlock is very poisonous and is the herb that poisoned
Socrates.
Previous page: Hedge Woundwort
Next page: Himalayan Honeysuckle
Hemlock in rough grassland
Large umbel
Small umbel
Few recurved upper bracks
Bracteoles on one side of small umbels
Leaves
Purple blotched stem
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