Wild Parsnip
Wild Parsnip, Ham Hill, Somerset
Newly-opened compound umbel
Umbel, curved sepals, young stamens
Stamens alternate with sepals
Fruits
Toothed lower leaves
Stem
Pyrochroa on Wild Parsnip
On shingle, West Bexington, Dorset
Pastinaca sativa
Apiaceae
June to September
It is found throughout the country except for parts of the
North and the far Southwest..
See the BSBI distribution map for Wild Parsnip
It grows on chalk and limestone grassland, by roads and
railways, on waste ground and on shingle beaches.
Wild Parsnip is a striking, yellow, tall, native, biennial herb,
growing up to 2m.
The umbels are up to 10cm and the compound umbel can
be up to 1m.
The flowers are small (5-8mm) with 5 recurved sepals
and no petals.
Stamens alternate with the sepals.
There is a central stigma (sometimes 2) and the fruit is
broadly oval and flat.
Leaves are pinnate and toothed.
Stems are furrowed and angled.
The plant is pungent and in some places there are signs
warning people not to touch it.
It can cause phyto-photo-dermatitis, when sap on the
skin reacts with UV light .
It is attractive to insects and the flowers often have
multiple Pyrochroa feeding on them.
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Next page: Wild Privet
Wild Parsnip, Ham Hill, Somerset
Newly-opened compound umbel
Umbel, curved sepals, young stamens
Stamens alternate with sepals
Fruits
Toothed lower leaves
Stem
Pyrochroa on Wild Parsnip
On shingle, West Bexington, Dorset
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