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• Apiaceae
• Ligusticum
• Ligusticum scoticum

Ligusticum scoticum — Scotch wild lovage

Facts

Scotch lovage is native to North America, and is found on coastal beaches in New England. Native Americans, especially in Alaska, ate the leaves raw or cooked, or as a seasoning for meat or fish.

Habitat

Coastal beaches (sea beaches)

Characteristics

• Clonal plantlets

  Bulbils

  the plant does not appear to have bulbils

  Bulblets replace flowers

  there are no bulblets where the flowers are located

• Flowers

  Anther opening

  the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers

  Anther spurs

  the anthers do not have spurs on them

  Calyx symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

  Carpel hairs

  the carpels have no hairs

  Carpels fused

  the carpels are fused to one another

  Cleistogamous flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

  Corolla morphology

  NA

  Corolla palate

  no

  Corona lobe length

  0 mm

  Epicalyx

  the flower does not have an epicalyx

  Epicalyx number of parts

  0

  Filament surface

  the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

  Flower description

  the flower has an inferior ovary, with or without a hypanthium

  Flower petal color

  white

  Flower reproductive parts

  the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts

  Flower symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

  Flowers sunken into stem

  no

  Form of style

  the flower has two or more completely separate styles

  Fused stamen clusters

  NA

  Fusion of sepals and petals

  both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused

  Hairs on inflorescence

  • the axis of the inflorescence has hairs entirely without glands
  • the axis of the inflorescence has no hairs on it

  Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

  NA

  Hypanthium

  the flower does not have a hypanthium

  Inflorescence length

  20–50 mm

  Inflorescence one-sided

  the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks

  Inner tepals (Rumex)

  NA

  Interior flower disk

  the flower has an interior disc

  Length of flower stalk

  5–10 mm

  Marks on petals

  there are no noticeable marks on the petals

  Nectar spur

  the flower has no nectar spurs

  Number of branches in umbel

  8–20

  Number of carpels

  2

  Number of pistils

  1

  Number of sepals, petals or tepals

  there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

  Number of styles

  2

  Ovary position

  the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

  Petal and sepal arrangement

  the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

  Petal and sepal colors

  white

  Petal appearance

  the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)

  Petal folding in bud

  the petals in bud meet exactly at the margins without overlapping (valvate)

  Petal folds or pleats

  the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits

  Petal hairs (Viola)

  NA

  Petal number

  5

  Petal shape

  the petal outline is another shape

  Petal tip shape

  the petal tip is retuse (with a blunt or rounded apex and a notch at the center)

  Petal tips (Cuscuta)

  NA

  Raceme attachment (Veronica)

  NA

  Reproductive system

  all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)

  Scales inside corolla

  no

  Sepal and petal color

  the sepals are different from the petals

  Sepal appearance

  the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture

  Sepal appendages

  the sepals do not have appendages on them

  Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

  NA

  Sepal color

  green to brown

  Sepal number

  5

  Sepal shape

  the sepal outline is roughly triangular

  Sepals fused only to sepals

  the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases

  Stamen attachment

  the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals

  Stamen number

  5

  Stamen position relative to petals

  the stamens are lined up with the sepals

  Stamens fused

  the stamens are not attached to one another

  Staminodes

  there are no staminodes on the flower

  Style petal-like

  the styles are not petal-like

  Surface of ovary

  the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles

  Umbel flower reproductive parts

  all the flowers at the final division of the umbel have both carpels and stamens

  Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene relative orientation

  NA

  Achene shape

  NA

  Achene surface (Polygonum)

  NA

  Achene type

  NA

  Berry color

  NA

  Capsule color (Viola)

  NA

  Capsule ribs

  NA

  Capsule splitting

  NA

  Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

  NA

  Fruit cross-section

  • the fruit is at least somewhat flattened
  • the fruit is round in cross-section

  Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Fruit length

  6–10 mm

  Fruit length to width ratio

  3

  Fruit locules

  two

  Fruit shape

  • the fruit is obloid (longer than wide and with rounded ends)
  • the fruit is ovoid (egg-shaped)

  Fruit type (general)

  the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe

  Fruit type (specific)

  the fruit is a schizocarp (when dry it splits into sections, each holding one or more seeds)

  Hair type on fruit

  NA

  Hairs on fruit

  the fruits are not hairy

  Legumes (Fabaceae)

  NA

  Mericarp length

  6–10 mm

  Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

  NA

  Other markings on berry

  NA

  Ovary stipe

  the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe

  Placenta arrangement

  the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves

  Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit compression

  • the fruit is flattened perpendicular to the commissure
  • the fruit is not flattened

  Schizocarpic fruit segments

  2

  Seed number

  2

  Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Wings on fruit

  the fruit has one or more wings on it

  prickles on fruits

  the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

• Glands or sap

  Glands on leaf blade

  the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

  Sap

  the sap is clear and watery

  Sap color

  the sap is clear

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)

  Horizontal rooting stem

  the plant does not have stolons

  Lifespan

  the plant lives more than two years

  Parasitism

  the plant is not parasitic

  Plant color

  the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

  Plants darken when dry

  no

  Spines on plant

  the plant has no spines

  Underground organs

  there is a thickened taproot on the plant

• Leaves

  Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

  6–10

  Bracteole shape

  the bracteoles are linear (very narrow, with more or less parallel sides)

  Bracteoles

  the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers

  Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

  NA

  Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)

  30–100 mm

  Floral bracts

  • the flower does not have bracts
  • the flower has one or more bracts associated with it

  Hooked hairs on underside of leaf

  no

  Inflated hairs on leaf

  the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it

  Leaf arrangement

  alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Leaf blade base

  the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)

  Leaf blade base shape

  the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

  Leaf blade bloom

  the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom

  Leaf blade edges

  the edge of the leaf blade has teeth

  Leaf blade length

  100–200 mm

  Leaf blade primary vein pattern

  the major veins radiate out from one point at the base

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is rhombic (roughly diamond-shaped)

  Leaf blade surface colors

  the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade has a fleshy or spongy texture

  Leaf blade width

  At least 10 mm

  Leaf duration

  the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

  Leaf form

  the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

  Leaf shiny

  the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny

  Leaf spines

  there are no spines on the leaf edges

  Leaf stalk

  the leaves have leaf stalks

  Leaf stalk attachment to leaf

  the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade

  Leaf teeth and lobes

  • the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
  • the leaf blade margin has forward-pointing teeth

  Leaf tip

  • the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)

  Leaf type

  the leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets

  Leaf types

  There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

  Leaf variation

  the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves

  Leaflet number

  9

  Leaves per node

  there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Pinnately compound leaf type

  • NA
  • the pinnately compound leaves have a terminal leaflet (and usually have an odd number of leaflets per axis)

  Specific leaf type

  • the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
  • the leaf has lobes that radiate from the base, somewhat like a hand

  Stipels

  there are no stipels at the bases of the petiolules

  Stipule edges

  NA

  Stipule features

  NA

  Stipule fused to leaf stalk

  NA

  Stipule length

  0 mm

  Stipule shape

  NA

  Stipules

  there are no stipules on the plant

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island

  Specific habitat

  sea beaches

• Scent

  Plant odor

  the plant has a pleasant smell, for example anise, fruit, mint or resin

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Branched tendrils

  NA

  Flowering stem cross-section

  the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular

  Hooked hairs on stem between nodes

  no

  Leaves on stem

  there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

  Plant height

  30–60 cm

  Stem bloom

  there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem

  Stem orientation

  the stems are upright or angled outwards

  Stem roughness between nodes

  the stem does not feel rough

  Tendril origin

  NA

  Tendrils

  the plant does not have tendrils

  Wings on stem

  the stem does not have wings on it

Wetland status

Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae