Sanicula (Apiaceae for Flora Nordica)

Hemicryptophyte (perennial). To 45–65 cm; rhizome 5–10 mm thick, with swollen nodes. Stem solid with loose pith; basal part 1.5–3 mm thick, sulcate, sometimes ± purplish, usually not glaucous. Leaves 5–10 at the base and 1–3 on the upper part of the stem (subtending the branches of the inflorescence), usually the innermost basal is the largest one; sheath rather narrow, purplish; petiole 13–24 cm (upper stem leaves sessile or shortly petiolate); blade deeply palmately lobed, 5–9.5 × 6.5–11 cm (length/width ratio 0.75–0.85), glabrous, usually paler beneath. Apical lobe 1-pinnate, with 1–2 pairs of lobes, 3.2–6 × 2.5–4.4 cm, with a length/width ratio of 1.2–1.6(–1.9); margin serrate or doubly serrate with acuminate teeth having a distinct awn.

Umbels single or in dichasial cymes (usually assembled into a compound cyme), simple, ± rounded (successively 3-lobed on fruiting), 0.5–0.7 cm high and 0.6–0.9 cm wide; peduncle 1.7–3.3 cm; cymes and compound cymes subtended by entire or lobed bracts. Bracts subtending umbels 8–10, persistent, 1.2–2 × 0.3–0.5 mm, usually with a membranous margin. Flowers ± sessile, not zygomorphic, (1–)3(–4) bisexual and 8–18 male ones per umbel; sepals 0.7–1 mm, aristate; petals white with brownish spots and a brownish midrib, 1.3–1.6 ´ 0.6–0.9 mm, inflexed, emarginate (apical cut 0.2–0.4 mm deep); stamens projecting, filaments 2.6–3.7 mm, anthers yellowish 0.7–0.9 mm. Fruit ovate in outline, slightly laterally flattened, dark brown to dark green, with purplish spines and persistent sepals; carpophore not developed. Mericarps 2.5–3.4 × 1.3–2 × 0.8–1.4 mm (excluding spines), with a length/width ratio of 1.7–2.2; ridges indistinct, spines hooked, 1.2–1.6 mm, not in distinct rows; vittae several; stylopodium discoidal, 0.3–0.5 mm wide; style 2.3–3.3 mm, slightly curved, outwards-directed to deflexed. – Late spring to mid-summer.

Distribution. Nem–SBor. –D common to rather common in Øjy, eastern SJy and the islands, scattered in southern and eastern NJy, rare in the rest of Jylland. N scattered to rare in the southeast north to Ak Eidsvoll, and along the coast to NT Nærøy and Leka; SNo Sømna. S rather frequent or scattered in most lowlands north to and including middle BhG, southeastern Dls, Vg, Ög, Srm, coastal Upl and Gst (but rare in Hl, southwestern Vg, northern Bh and southern Klm, and common in Gtl); rare in Nrk and southern Vsm, outpost localities in Vrm Långserud, Dlr Garpenberg and Hls Söderhamn). F A common; V Houtskari (known since 1991).

W, C and E Europe, mountain regions in the Mediterranean and Caucasus.

Habitat. Moderately dry to slightly damp, nutrient-rich, mull-rich soil in shady to rather shady sites; calciphilous, often in slopes with moving ground water. Herb-rich deciduous woodland, low-herb spruce forest, wooded meadows, more rarely in fairly dry oakwood or herb-rich pinewood (especially S Gtl; in Dls confined to the Dal bedrock series). Sensitive to habitat disturbance, especially as regards light and moisture conditions; also sensitive to grazing.

Biology. Sanicula europaea is a long-lived perennial, with individual plants persisting for at least 40 years (Inghe & Tamm 1988). There is an internal rhythm regulating flowering, but it is also affected by last year’s summer precipitation; both seeds and rhizome propagation are important for the maintenance of the populations (Inghe 1989). The hooked spines on the fruits enable them to spread with animals. – The umbels consist of both bisexual and male flowers (there are generally more bisexual flowers in secondary than in primary umbels).