Coriandrum sativum (Coriander) - photos and description
Upper stem leaf in above photo
Lower stem leaf in above photo
General: Annuals with a branching growth habit. Foliage with a pungent fragrance when bruised. Plants glabrous. Coriander is grown as a specialty crop in Saskatchewan.
Flowers: Inflorescence consists of terminal, compound umbels, a single umbellet was measured at 14 mm wide. Umbellets with 3 or 4 thread-like bracts, bract measured at 3 mm long. Flowers white in colour. Flower heads consisting of two types of flowers: inner flowers are smaller, cup-shaped, while the outer flowers have large petals.
Leaves: Leaves alternate. upper leaves with 3 leaflets, leaflets divided into narrow lobes, upper leaf measured at 2 cm long. Lower leaves pinnately divided into 3 or 5 lobes, lobes oblong to orbicular. Lower leaf highlighted in photo above was 13.5 cm long (including petiole) and 5 cm wide.
Height: Height not given in Budd's Flora, we measured plants to 46 cm tall.
Habitat: Dry soils in southern Saskatchewan.
Abundance: Rare.
Origin: Introduced.
When and where photographed: Above photos taken August 6th, prairie roadside, near the East Block of Grasslands National Park, about 300 km southwest of our home in Regina, SK.