Pastinaca sativa (Parsnip)

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Pastinaca sativa L.

Parsnip, wild parsnip

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Apiales	Includes carrots, celery, parsley, and ivy
Family	Apiaceae	Carrot or parsley family, also includes angelica, anise, caraway, celery, chervil, cicely, coriander/cilantro, cumin, dill, fennel, hemlock, lovage, Queen Anne’s Lace, parsnip
Genus	Pastinaca	One source says from the Latin pastino, “ to prepare the ground for planting,” while another says from the Latin pastus, “food.” This was the ancient name of the parsnip and may give a clue as to the origin of the Italian word pasta
Species	sativa	Means “that which is sown,” indicating the plant is a cultivated one

About plant names...

Wild parsnip is native to Europe and Asia, but was long ago introduced for cultivation to North America, where it is now widespread. It is common in disturbed soils. It shows up in fields, prairies, meadows, roadsides, and waste areas. It is classified as invasive or borderline invasive in many areas, such as Yellowstone National Park.

Plants: 24-60" (60-152 cm) tall, with smooth (glabrous), angular, hollow, ribbed stems.

Leaves: Alternate, odd pinnate, lobed, and toothed. Lower leaves have longer stems (petioles), and are up to 18" (45 cm) long × 6" (15 cm) across. Leaves closer to the top are up to 3" (7.6 cm) × 2" (5 cm), on shorter petioles.

Flowers: Yellow, in umbels 3-8" (7.6-20 cm) across. Umbels are flat or umbrella-shaped, composed of 15-25 umbellets. Each umbellet in turn contains between 12 and 35 flowers. Individual flowers are about ⅛" (3.2 mm) around, with five petals. Flowers appear from July to August.

Fruits: Each flower becomes a single seed ⅛-¼" (5-7 mm) in size. Seeds are indehiscent—that is, they don’t split open when they ripen. Each seed is surrounded by small “wings.”

Edibility: Although foliage can cause phytophotodermatitis, roots are edible, and smaller and sweeter than those of cultivated parsnips. Roots are sweeter if harvested after some autumn frosts, and may be baked or eaten raw.

Medical: Leaves and stems can cause phytophotodermatitis: skin irritation or blistering if handled in the presence of sunlight, due to the presence of furocoumarins. Accounts vary: some say the effect is rare, mild, or short-lived, while others warn of more severe effects. Wild parsnip foliage and roots are used in some folk medicines, and although it is not known to be harmful in prescribed amounts, neither has it been studied for efficacy.

Online References:

Illinois Wildflowers

Gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org

Minnesota Wildflowers

Www.invasiveplantatlas.org

Www.thepoisongarden.co.uk

Plants for a Future

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

References:

Multiple Authors, PDR for Herbal Medicines, Thomson Healthcare Inc., 2007, p. 632