Heracleum sphondylium L.

Heracleum sphondylium L. Sp. PI. 249. 1753
Sphondylium vulgare S. F. Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. PI. 2: 520. 1821.
Selinum Sphondylium E. H. L. Krause in Sturm, Fl. Deuts. ed. 2. 12: 136. 1904.
Plants 0.6-2 m. high, short-pubescent to glabrate; leaves ovate to orbicular in general outline, excluding the petioles 16-20 cm. long, 18-25 cm. broad, pinnately lobed or compound, the leaflets ovate to orbicular, 10-15 cm. long, 8-15 cm. broad, cordate, serrate to incised or lobed; petioles 2-6 dm. long, the upper cauline leaves with conspicuously dilated sheaths; peduncles 5-20 cm. long, short-pubescent but villous below the umbels; involucre of 1-6 deciduous, lanceolate or linear bracts, 2-5 mm. long; involucel of 1-6 linear-acuminate bractlets, or wanting; rays 10-30, unequal, 3-8 cm. long; pedicels 5-10 mm. long; petals white to greenishyellow, obovate; fruit orbicular to obovate, 5-11 mm. long, 6-10 mm. broad, pubescent to glabrate.
Type locality: "In Europae nemoralis," collector unknown.
Distribution: Eurasia; adventive in Nova Scotia and at New York City and Seattle.