Flower ID: IMG_2958.JPG-08-23-2019 Flower name (scientific): Sium suave Walter PY: 1788. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) SEE-um (or SI-um) SWA-ve (or SWAH-ve) Flower name (common): Water Parsnip Family name (common): Carrot Family name (scientific): Apiaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From Greek for a marsh plant, possibly skirret Sium sisarum, a species of water parsnip, grown for its edible roots. Specific epithet: Latin for sweet, pleasant, delightful. Common name origin: From its common habitat near or in wet conditions, and its similarity to the root vegetable parsnip Pastinaca sativa. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.2 inches (0.3 to 0.5 cm) Petal count: 5 Color: white Other: flower arrangement, Cluster-flat Plant description: Size: 24 to 72 inches (61 to 183 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is compound Size: Compound leaves up to 30+ cm long. Leaflets are up to 12 cm long and up to 1 to 2 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, odd-pinnate, leaflet, linear to linear-lanceolate, narrowly lanceolate (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): July to September Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Streambanks, marshes, swamps, pond margins, sun, wet. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Cicuta maculata (Water Hemlock), Cicuta bulbifera (Bulblet-bearing Water Hemlock), and Oxypolis rigidior (Cowbane) have some resemblance to Sium suave. Both C. maculata and C. bulbifera are extremely poisonous, so hunting for S. suave as food source should only be done with the greatest care, and frankly should be avoided because of the possible consequences if a mistake is made. The best way to differentiate these species is via the leaves, though Sium suave is known to display variability of its leaves. The lateral veins of the leaflets of C. maculata end at the notches between the teeth rather than at the tips of the teeth and the leaflet shape is oblong-elliptic. C. bulbifera has very narrow leaflets that are about 3 mm wide and approximately up to 75 mm long. O. rigidior has leaflets that are approximately 4 to 10 cm long and 0.3 to 2.5 cm wide and the leaflet margin either entire or with a small number of teeth. S. suave has leaflets that are 5 to 13 cm long and 0.6 to 1.3 cm wide and with margins finely serrate, though sometimes entire. Ethnobotany: The Objibwe smoked the seeds with the hope of driving away evil spirits (Smith, p. 432, 1932). Smith uses the old synonym name Sium cicutifolium with a spelling error for the specific epithet. The Iroquois used the plant to prepare poultice to treat pain from limb fractures. The Lakota employed the plant to treat stomach issues (Moerman, p. 533, 1998). Latitude: 44.800055 Longitude: -91.507727 Altitude: 241.40 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na