(Apiaceae)

Flowers are organized alphabetically by genus and species. Hover over a photo series to control the images.

Spotted Water Hemlock (Cicuta maculata)

In October 2025 I noticed this plant growing thickly along the little creek that tumbles down from Carlito Springs. I was back in June 2026 to get photos of the flowers. Based on known distributions, I believe that this stand is of spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) rather than its close cousin, Western water hemlock (C, douglasii). Either species is among the most poisonous plants out there.

Coriander, Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

The chopped cilantro leaves I love to sprinkle over Mexican food come from this Old World plant before it bolts. Once it does, the leaves become feathery. Coriander has escaped into the wild in New Mexico, hence its inclusion here. My pics are of plants I encountered in an Albuquerque alley.

Fendler's Biscuitroot, Fendler's Spring Parsley (Cymopterus glomeratus)

 Oshá, Porter's Lovage (Ligusticum porteri)

In New Mexico, oshá is famous as a folk medicinal plant. According to the plant list for the Sandia Mountains,  the very similar-looking Rocky Mountain hemlock-parsley (Conioselinum scopulorum) occurs in those mountains but is restricted to wet areas at springs and along streams.

Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza)

Despite the shared common name, the local sweet cicely isn't the same as the Old World herb, Myrrhis odorata. Sweet cicely flowers are tiny and easily overlooked. One the flowers are gone, the seed clusters are distinctive; they always remind me of sets of helicopter blades. If you're lucky, as the summer runs out you'll see sweet cicely leaves turning purple.

Mountain Parsley (Pseudocymopterus montanus)

Bulbous Spring Parsley? (Vesper cf. bulbosus)