Family
Apiaceae
Common Name
Cow parsley
Regulation
Primary Noxious, Class 2 in the Canadian Weed Seeds Order, 2016 under the Seeds Act.
Distribution
Canadian: Occurs in BC, ON, QC, NB, NL, NS (Brouillet et al. 2016Footnote 1).
Worldwide: Native to northern Africa, Europe and Asia and introduced to southern Africa, North America and Chile (USDA-ARS 2016Footnote 2).
Duration of life cycle
Biennial or short-lived perennial
Seed or fruit type
Schizocarp, divided into 2 mericarps
Identification features
Size
- Mericarp length: 6.0 - 7.0 mm
- Mericarp width: 1.2 - 1.6 mm
Shape
- Mericarp is elongate, tapering to a remnant floral style at the top
Surface Texture
- Mericarp is shiny, smooth
Colour
- Mericarp is medium brown
Other Features
- Furrow along ventral side of mericarp.
- Teardrop-shaped depression at base of mericarp.
Habitat and Crop Association
Pastures, damp meadows, old fields, open forests, stream banks, ditches, roadsides and other disturbed areas (Darbyshire et al. 1999Footnote 3, Darbyshire 2003Footnote 4). Weed of perennial forage crops and pastures in North America (Darbyshire et al. 1999Footnote 3).
General Information
Cow parsley produces 800 to 10,000 seeds per plant, which are often dispersed by agricultural equipment (Rew et al. 1996Footnote 5) and traffic corridors (Magnússon 2006Footnote 6). This species prefers disturbed habitats and forest edges with moist or mesic soils, rich with organic matter (Darbyshire et al. 1999Footnote 3).
Similar species
Garden chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
- Garden chervil is a similar elongated shape, size, brown colour and floral style to cow parsley.
- Garden chervil has a longer floral style (2.0 - 4.0 mm), a bumpy surface texture and is thinner (1.0 mm) compared to cow parsley.
Photos
Similar species
