cow parsley

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• cow parsley
• wild chervil
• woodland chervil
• Keck
• Kecks
• cow-parsley
• Queen Anne's lace
• wild beaked parsley

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Myrrhodes sylvestre
• Myrrhis sylvestris
• Scandix sylvestris
• Chaerefolium sylvestre
• Carum sylvestre
• Chaerophyllum sylvestre
• Ptychotis sylvestris

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Apiales, it is classified under the family Apiaceae. Its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Anthriscus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread presence across several key regions within Northern Europe. Its distribution specifically includes the coastal and inland areas of Denmark and Finland. Additionally, the species can be found inhabiting the Faroe Islands and Iceland. It also maintains a notable presence throughout the various territories of Great Britain. Together, these locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in northern maritime and continental climates.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Anthriscus sylvestris is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse environmental settings and a significant altitudinal distribution. It thrives in a variety of habitats, including cropfields, forests, meadows (particularly wet ones), oldfields, and parks. This species demonstrates a wide vertical range across landscapes, with its presence recorded from a minimum elevation of 915 m AMSL up to a maximum of 4500 m AMSL, maintaining a mean elevational range of 4500 m AMSL within its documented ecological niche.

Elevational range max:

4500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

915 m AMSL

Habitat :

cropfields,forest,meadows:wet,oldfields,parks

Life history

The life history of Anthriscus sylvestris is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil during unfavorable periods. As a deciduous species, it undergoes a seasonal cycle where its above-ground foliage is shed annually, typically in response to colder temperatures or changing environmental conditions. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a hemicryptophytic growth habit, and deciduous behavior enables the plant to effectively manage resource allocation and survive seasonal fluctuations in its habitat.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Anthriscus sylvestris is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This self-supporting plant typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 1.79 m, with a mean height of approximately 0.7 m. It is a terrestrial species, functioning as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte, and it does not exhibit any climbing or liana-like habits, maintaining a strictly self-supporting structure.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.79 m

Plant height mean:

0.7 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Anthriscus sylvestris is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy for plants in temperate environments that allows for carbon fixation through the Calvin cycle. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying entirely on autotrophic processes and soil nutrient uptake rather than capturing prey. In terms of its foliar architecture, the species maintains a mean leaf size of 228.64 cm², supporting its photosynthetic capacity. This is further reflected in its Specific Leaf Area (SLA), which has a mean value of 311.92 cm²/g, indicating a relatively high ratio of leaf area to dry mass and suggesting an investment in expansive, thin leaf structures optimized for light interception.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

228.64 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

311.92 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Anthriscus sylvestris is characterized by a sexual process involving biotic pollination, specifically through an insect pollination syndrome. The flowering period typically commences in May and extends through July. During this reproductive phase, the plant relies on cross-pollination, as self-fertilization is noted to be absent, and it does not employ asexual reproduction. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fruits that vary in size, with a mean length of 0.75 cm (ranging from 0.5 cm to 1 cm) and a mean width of 0.125 cm (ranging from 0.1 cm to 0.15 cm). The resulting seeds are quite small, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.00417 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.00229 g to a maximum of 0.00882 g. Dispersal of the progeny is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are primarily dispersed by the wind.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.75 cm

Fruit length min:

0.5 cm

Fruit width max:

0.15 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.125 cm

Fruit width min:

0.1 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.00882 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0041684165 g

Seed mass min:

0.00229 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Anthriscus sylvestris has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
2. Archives of pharmacal research

Chemicals

Anthriscus sylvestris has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Deoxypodophyllotoxin, Anthricin, Bursehernin, Falcarindiol, Fatty acids.

Deoxypodophyllotoxin

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
3. Archives of pharmacal research
4. Planta medica

Anthricin

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Bursehernin

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Falcarindiol

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Fatty acids

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Flavonoids

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Morelensin

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Steroids

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Activities

Anthriscus sylvestris has 4 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antioxidant, Antitussive, Cytotoxic.

Anticancer

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Antioxidant

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Antitussive

1. Food science and biotechnology

Cytotoxic

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Conditions

Anthriscus sylvestris has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include asthma, cough.

Asthma

1. Food science and biotechnology

Cough

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Preparations

Anthriscus sylvestris has 5 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include chloroform soluble fraction, extracts, fermented extract, fermented extract of medicinal plants (FEMP), hexane soluble fraction.

Chloroform soluble fraction

1. Archives of pharmacal research

Extracts

1. Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry

Fermented extract

1. Food science and biotechnology

Fermented extract of medicinal plants (femp)

1. Food science and biotechnology

Hexane soluble fraction

1. Archives of pharmacal research