41. Zizia W.D.J. Koch (golden Alexanders)

Plants perennial, glabrous (or minutely hairy or roughened at some of the nodes), with clusters of slightly to moderately tuberous-thickened roots. Stems erect or ascending, sometimes from spreading bases. Leaves alternate and usually also basal (2 to few basal leaves usually present at flowering), the basal and lower stem leaves long-petiolate, the median and upper leaves short-petiolate to nearly sessile, the sheathing bases not or only slightly inflated. Leaf blades ovate to more or less circular in outline, simple or 1–3 times ternately lobed or compound, the margins glabrous, with a narrow, white border. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, compound umbels, short- to long-stalked. Involucre absent. Rays 10–18, more or less unequal in length. Involucel of 3–9 bractlets, these shorter than the flower stalks, linear, sometimes reduced and fused basally into a low, irregular crown. Flowers 11–19 (to numerous) in each umbellet, the central flower of each umbellet sessile or with a stalk less than 0.5 mm long, the others with stalks 1–4 mm long. Sepals minute triangular scales. Petals obovate, narrowed or tapered abruptly to a short, slender tip, bright yellow. Ovaries glabrous. Fruits 2–4 mm long, ovate to oblong-ovate in outline, flattened laterally, glabrous, the mericarps reddish brown, the 5 ribs tan to yellowish brown, angled and often somewhat corky, but lacking wings. Four species, North America.

Zizia is frequently confused with Thaspium. For further discussion, see the treatment of that genus.