Scientific Family
Apiaceae
Synonyms
Cymopterus lemmonii, Pseudocymopterus tidestromii, Thaspium montanum
Other common names
alpine spring-parsley
mountain parsley
wild parsley
anise
false springparsley
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
To 32 inches tall
Riparian
No
Perennial with stems 3/4 inch to 32 inches tall, from a stout taproot and branching from base; basal and stem leaves may be present; leaves usually once to 3 times divided into leaflets, ultimate divisions of leaflets very narrow to lance-like.
Highly variable; leaves sometimes once-pinnate with narrow leaflets, other times more like flat-leaf parsley leaves. Most common color for the flowers is yellow but they can be red, orange or purple; short stiff hairs at the base of the flower cluster.
Habitat
Forests, woodlands and grasslands.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Grasslands
Low elevation
5500
High elevation
12000
Flower Characteristics
Most common color is yellow but can be red, orange or purple. Clearest way to distinguish this species is the short, stiff hairs at the base of the rounded cluster; sometimes solitary, or simple clusters in leaf axils. Ray flowers 5 to 25.
Flower color
Yellow, red, orange, rarely purple
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Variable, leaves sometimes once-divided with narrow leaflets, other times they may resemble flat-leaf parsley leaves with multiple divisions. Stem leaves 1 to 4; basal and stems leaves may be present.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Bright green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Capsule splits into 2 single seeded chambers, well-developed lateral wings.
Fruit type
Capsule