Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Silaum silaus

Family

Apiaceae

Flowering season

June to October

English distribution

It is found throughout the country except for large parts of

the Northwest and the Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Pepper-saxifrage

Habitat

It grows in damp, unimproved, neutral, species-rich

grassland, such as hay meadows, pastures and

water meadows.

It is decreasing.

Description

Pepper-saxifrage is a native, perennial herb growing up

to 1m.

The flowers are yellow and in umbels varying from 2 to

4cm across.

The rays of the umbels are of different lengths.

There are few or no bracts but numerous linear to

lanceolate bracteoles.

Individual flowers are up to 1.5mm and made up of

5 incurved petals of different sizes.

Thare are 5 stamens with cream anthers.

There are 2 green ovules and 2 stigmas.

Fruits are up to 4.5mm, red-topped, slightly flattened

laterally and ridged.

Leaves are 2-3 pinnate, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate

and up to 10cm.

Stems are solid and striate.