Apiaceae Apiaceae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus "Apium" and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plants, with more than 3,700 species in 434 genera including such well-known and economically important plants such as ajwain, angelica, anise, asafoetida, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, hemlock, lovage, cow parsley, parsley, parsnip, sea holly, and silphium (a plant whose identity is unclear and which may be extinct). The Apiaceae family includes a significant number of phototoxic species
Heracleum maximum Heracleum maximum Heracleum maximum, commonly known as cow parsnip, is the only member of the genus "Heracleum" native to North America. "H. maximum" is also known as Indian celery, Indian rhubarb or pushki. Cow parsnip is a tall herbaceous plant reaching heights of over . The genus name "Heracleum" (from Heracles) refers to the very large size of all parts of these plants. Cow parsnip has the characteristic flower umbels of the carrot family (Apiaceae). The umbels are about across, flat-topped or rounded, and composed of small white flowers. Sometimes the outer flowers of the umbel are much larger than