Oenanthe

Scientific name

Oenanthe L.

Common names

water dropwort, water parsley

Family

Apiaceae

Similar genera

Cicuta, Potentilla, Rorippa, Sium

Native distribution

temperate temperate:
(adj) of the climatic zone between boreal and tropical
regions of Northern Hemisphere

Species cultivated

Oenanthe aquatica (L.) Poir.

O. javanica (Blume) DC.

Adventive distribution

Oenanthe aquatica is introduced into the United States and New Zealand.

O. javanica is introduced into the United States.

O. pimpinelloides L. is introduced into Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Ireland.

O. sarmentosa C. Presl ex DC. is introduced into New Zealand.

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

emergent, stoloniferous herb

Brief description

Perennial, biennial, or annual. Stems floating, creeping, ascending or erect, frequently stoloniferous, internodes may be swollen if floating. Leaves pinnatisectpinnatisect:
(adj) pinnately cut or lobed to the midrib
, bi- to tri-pinnate; submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
leaves divided into capillarycapillary:
(adj) slender, hair-like
or fan-shaped segments. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a compoundcompound:
(adj) with two or more like parts, as in a compound leaf; divided into two or more subsidiary parts or orders, as in a compound inflorescence
umbel, terminalterminal:
(adj) at the apex
or axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
; subtending bracts inconspicuous or absent. Flowers small, white; sepals 5, conspicuous; petals 5. Fruit 2 1-seeded mericarps. Dispersal of mericarps by water or animals.

Natural habitat

wet or marshy ground, shallow water

Additional comments

Some species are extremely poisonous to mammals, being rich in oenanthotoxin.