Hemlock

Conium maculatum

Family: Apiaceae.

Form: Herb

Origin: Native of Europe, western Asia and northern Africa.

Flowers/Seedhead: Inflorescence an umbel 2–8 cm wide. Flowers with 5 petals each about 1.2 mm long. Flowers spring and summer.

Description: Erect annual to biennial herb to 2 (rarely to 3) m high. Plants hairless. Stems branched, striate. Leaves to 50 cm long and to 40 cm wide, margins toothed; leaf stalk to 60 cm long, purpleblotched, hollow. Fruit grey to brown.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by offensive aroma when crushed; stems pale green to blue-green and spotted red-brown to purple, hollow except at nodes; leaves dissected a number of times; flowers in terminal and axillary umbels with 4–20 arms, petals white; fruit 2.5–4 mm long, ovoid to globe-shaped, slightly flattened, ribs conspicuous and undulate.

Dispersal: Spread by seed in mud, produce, clothing and water.

Confused With: Bishop’s Weed, Ammi majus, which has less divided leaves, solid stems, and an absence of spots on the stem.