Cicuta maculata (Water Hemlock) - photos and description
Origin: Native.
General: Stout-stemmed plants, with an erect growth habit. This plant is very poisonous.
Flowers: Compound umbels of white flowers. Flowers fragrant. Compound umbel measured to 10 cm diameter, umbellet measured at 23 mm diameter, flowers to 3 mm diameter. The compound umbels have few or no bracts.
Leaves: Leaves 2 or 3 times pinnate with lanceolate leaflets, leaflets saw-toothed. Leaflet measured at 7 cm long and 18 mm wide. Basal leaves long-stalked, stem leaves alternate.
Height: Height is listed in Budd's Flora to 200 cm, we measured plants to 101 cm tall.
Habitat: Wet and marshy places, edges of steams and ponds.
Abundance: Common.
Similar species: This plant might be confused with the non-poisonous Sium suave (Water Parsnip), however that plant has leaves that are once pinnate, while Cicuta maculata has leaves that are twice pinnate.
When and where photographed: Photos taken July 26th edge of pond, Duck Mountain provincial park about 300 km northeast of Regina, SK, and July 28th, wet ditch, mixed moist woods, Porcupine Hills, about 500 km north east of Regina, SK, and marsh in forest, Moose Mountain Provincial Park, about 200 km southeast of our home in Regina, SK.