purple-stem angelica

(Angelica atropurpurea)

Conservation Status
purple-stem angelica
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Midwest

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Purple-stem angelica is a 2 to 8 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on usually a single stem from a taproot.

The stems are erect, purplish, thick, hollow, hairless, and aromatic.

Basal leaves are 4 to 12 long and are divided into 3 segments. They are on thick leaf stalks that sheath the stem at the base. The sheaths are not inflated or are only slightly inflated. Each leaf segment is pinnately divided into 3 or 5 leaflets.

Stem leaves are similar, becoming smaller and less divided as they ascend the stem.

The leaflets are egg-shaped to lance-shaped and 1½ to 4 long. They taper to a point at the tip with straight sides along the tip. The upper surface is hairless. The lower surface is hairless or may be minutely hairy. The margins are toothed with sharp, forward-pointing teeth, and rarely have a fringe of hairs.

The inflorescence is a branched array of several long-stalked umbels at the end of the stem. The umbels are 4 to 8 wide and globe-shaped. Each umbel has 20 to 45 branches (rays) at the end of which are smaller, secondary umbels (umbellets). The umbellets are also globe-shaped.

The fruit is dry, to ¼long, oblong egg-shaped, and hairless. It contains 2 seeds.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

2 to 8

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

White

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

American cow parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum) stem is sparsely to densely covered with spreading, easily visible hairs. The sheath at the base of the leaf stalk is moderately to strongly inflated. The leaflets are 4 to 12 long and wide, egg-shaped to almost circular in outline, and palmately 3-lobed. The umbels are flat-topped, not globe-shaped.

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Wet to moist. Swamps, wet woods, meadows, stream banks, fens. Full to partial sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

June to August

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

 
  5/32/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Apiales (carrots, ivies, and allies)  
  Suborder Apiineae  
 

Family

Apiaceae (carrot)  
  Subfamily Apioideae  
  Tribe Selineae  
 

Genus

Angelica (wild celery, angelica)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Angelica atropurpurea var. occidentalis

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

angelica

common great angelica

great angelica

large angelica

masterwort

purple-stem angelica

purple-stemmed angelica

purplestem angelica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Pinnate

On a compound leaf, having the leaflets arranged on opposite sides of a common stalk. On a bryophyte, having branches evenly arranged on opposite sides of a stem.

 

Ray

A strap-shaped flower, or the strap-shaped portion of a flower, in the Asteraceae (aster) family. A branch of an umbel in the Apiaceae (carrot) family.

 

Sheath

The lower part of the leaf that surrounds the stem.

 

Umbel

A flat-topped or convex, umbrella-shaped cluster of flowers or buds arising from more or less a single point.

 

Umbellet

A secondary umbel in a compound umbel.

 
 
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    purple-stem angelica   purple-stem angelica  
           
 

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Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Purple-stemmed Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea)
Andree Reno Sanborn
 
  Purple-stemmed  Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea)  

 

slideshow

       
 
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Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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Be sure to include a location.
 
  Larry Voltz
6/3/2015

Location: Sec 32, T149N R33W Beltrami County

Landowner stopped in with a sample of the plant. Positive ID. Has had it there for 20 years.

 
           
 
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