Formoreinforma+onaboutphenologyandtheCaliforniaPhenologyProject(CPP),pleasevisittheCPPwebsite(www.usanpn.org/cpp)andtheUSA-NPNwebsite(www.usanpn.org)

Whatdoesthisspecieslooklike?Commoncowparsnipisaperennial,herbaceousplantgrowing3to10feettall.Thelargebroadleavesarelobedandithasthick,hairystems.Onanindividualplant,thesmallwhiteflowerseitherhavebothmaleandfemalepartsorhaveonlymaleparts.Flowersaregroupedintosmallclustersthatareassembledintolarger,showier,flat-toppedclustersthatresembleumbrellas.Thisisatypeofcompoundinflorescencecalledan“umbel”.

CaliforniaPhenologyProject:speciesprofilefor

CommonCowparsnip(Heracleummaximum)

Photocredit:JerryOldene1el(Flickr)

Speciesfacts!•   TheCPPforleOercodeforthisspeciesisHELA(this

specieswasformerlynamedHeracleumlanatum).•   Inthecarrotfamily,Apiaceae.•   Thisspeciesisphototoxic;meaningwhencompoundsare

exposedtophotonsandcomeintocontactwithskintheyreacttocausearash.

•   CommoncowparsnipwasusedbyNa+veAmericansforfoodandmedicine;thetoxiceffectswerereducedavoidedbypeelingthestalks,andselec+ngtheyoungestgrowth.

Whereisthisspeciesfound?•   Inmoisttosemi-wet,well-drainedsoils.•   Prefersloamandsandyloamsoilsandclayandgravelly

substrates.•   Foundinwoodlands,forestopenings,grasslands,and

riparianareas.•   Foundateleva+onslessthan2900meters(Note:

accordingtotheJepsonmanual).Photocredit:JamesGaither(Flickr)

CPPsite(s)wherethisspeciesismonitored:GoldenGateNa+onalRecrea+onArea,RedwoodNa+onalPark

Photocredit:JerryOldene1el(Flickr)

Whenmonitoringthisspecies,usetheUSA-NPNforbsdatasheet.

Version3,May2016

CaliforniaPhenologyProject:speciesprofilefor

CommonCowparsnip(Heracleummaximum)

OpenflowersEachsmallflowertypicallyhasbothmaleandfemaleparts;manysmallflowersmakeupeachcluster.Propor>onofopenflowersshouldberecordedatthescaleofindividualflowers,notinflorescences(i.e.countindividualflowers)!

Ini>algrowth

FlowersorflowerbudsWhenmonitoringflowerorflowerbudabundanceforthisspecies,counteachinflorescenceasasinglefloweringstructure!Forexample,iftherearetwoinflorescenceswithmanyflowersorbudseach,thenabundanceshouldberecordedas<3.

RipefruitsThefruitisripewhenitisdryandlight-green,white,tan,orbrown,anddisplayingfourconspicuousverRcalpurplelines.Note:fruitphenophasesarenested;ifyourecordYfor“ripefruits”youshouldalsorecordYto“fruits”

Phenophasesnotpictured:Recentfruitorseeddrop

FruitsThefruitisaRnyfla1enedcapsulethatchangesfromgreentolight-green,white,tan,orbrownanddisplayingfourconspicuousverRcalpurplelines.

Leaves

BrianHaggerty

BrianHaggerty

StevenKrause BrianHaggerty

BrianHaggerty

MiguelViera

Version3,May2016

Note:flowerphenophasesarenested;ifyourecordYfor“openflowers”youshouldalsorecordYfor“flowersorflowerbuds”

BrianHaggerty