1. Cryptotaenia canadensis (L.) DC. (honewort, wild chervil)

Pl. 206 e, f; Map 852

Plants perennial, with fibrous roots, glabrous. Stems 30–100 cm long, erect or ascending. Leaves alternate and sometimes also basal (1 or a few basal leaves often present at flowering), short- to long-petiolate, the uppermost leaves sometimes nearly sessile, the sheathing bases not or only slightly inflated. Leaf blades 3–13 cm long, broadly ovate to depressed-ovate in outline, 1 time compound with 3 leaflets, the central leaflet sometimes with a pair of deep basal lobes, the lateral leaflets sometimes 1 or both with a single basal lobe, the leaflets or lobes 30–150 mm long, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic or obovate, short- to long-tapered at the base, coarsely to finely, sharply and often irregularly toothed (often doubly toothed) along the margins, tapered to a sharp point at the tip. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, compound umbels, often grouped into small panicles with ascending branches, mostly relatively long-stalked. Involucre absent or of 1 bract, this inconspicuous, shorter than the rays, spreading to ascending at flowering, linear, with a sharply pointed tip. Rays 2–7, 0.5–5.0 cm long, unequal in length, ascending. Involucel absent or of 1 or 2 bractlets, these shorter than the flower stalks, similar to the bracts. Flowers 2–10 in each umbellet, the stalks 2–30 mm long, unequal in length. Sepals absent or consisting of minute teeth. Petals obovate, rounded or with an abrupt, minute point at the tip, white. Ovaries glabrous. Fruits 4–7(–8) mm long, narrowly oblong-elliptic in outline, narrowed at the base, tapered to a short beak at the tip, flattened laterally, glabrous, dark brown with lighter, greenish yellow ribs, the mericarps sometimes somewhat arched or curved, somewhat narrowed along the commissures, with 5 narrow, blunt ribs, these lacking wings. 2n=20. May–August.

Scattered nearly throughout the state (eastern U.S. west to North Dakota, Colorado, and Texas; Canada). Bottomland forests, mesic upland forests, ledges of sheltered bluffs, fens, margins of sloughs, and banks of streams and rivers; also roadsides and railroads.