3. Sanicula smallii E.P. Bicknell (southern sanicle)

Pl. 211 g; Map 881

Plants perennial, with somewhat tuberous-thickened roots. Stems 20–60 cm long. Leaf blades 1.5–12.0 cm long, deeply palmately mostly 3- or 5-lobed and/or compound. Involucre with the bracts 6–40 mm long. Rays 0.2–3.0 cm long. Umbellets all with a mixture of staminate and pistillate flowers, the staminate flowers usually 1–7 per umbellet. Sepals 1.0–1.5 mm long, fused only at the base, narrowly lanceolate, with the tip tapered to a sharp point. Petals greenish white, usually shorter than the sepals. Stamens with the anthers white. Styles shorter than the bristles of the fruit, slightly longer than the sepals. Fruits 4–6 mm long, sessile. 2n=16. May–June.

Uncommon, known thus far only from a single historical collection from Ripley County (southeastern U.S. west to Missouri and Texas). Bottomland forests.