Sweetroot Spring-parsley (Newberry's Spring-parsley)

Cymopterus newberryi

Family: Apiaceae (A Utah Flora - Umbelliferae) - Carrot or Parsley Family

Perennial herbs from taproots; some strongly aromatic; 2.8” to 7.2” (7 to 18 cm) tall

Leaves: basal (or basal and 1 to few cauline mostly on the lower half of the stems); compound

Flowers: 5 petals; 5 sepals or lacking; small flowers in clusters (compound umbel); 5 stamens; 1 pistil; 2 styles; petals yellow when fresh, fading to cream or greenish in age, 5 to 16 rays, outer rays are 0.4” to 1.3” (1 to 3.3 cm) long

Pollinators: other species of Cymopterus are pollinated by insects; self-fertile

Fruits: schizocarp; flat and wide with lateral wings – splits into 2 halves, each 1 seeded

Blooms in Arches National Park: March, April, May

Habitat in Arches National Park: desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities

Location seen: Windows, Fiery Furnace, Broken Arch trail

Other: The genus name, “Cymopterus”, is from the Greek “cyma” which means “wave” and “pteron” which means “wing”, referring to its fruit. The species name, “newberryi”, honors the geologist John Strong Newberry (1822-1892).

The family has economic importance because it contains numerous food plants, condiments, ornamentals. There are also poisonous species. Tuberous roots. The family identification depends on anatomical details of fruits and seeds.