Zizia aptera
 
Heart-Leaved Alexanders

Perfect Flower Side

Moose Mountain Provincial Park
16-June-2021

The inflorescence contains both perfect and staminate flowers.  The well developed ovary of this specimen indicates this is a perfect flower.  Note the calyx tube is completely adnate to the ovary.

Zizia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
plants not with a bluish tinge
leaves not divided into numerous segments
lower leaves simple and cordate at base, the upper leaves commonly trifoliate
lower leaves and upper leaflets serrate
margins of basal leaves not spinulose
plants lacking axillary bulblets; NOT [plants with axillary bulblets largely replacing flowers]
flowers not in dense globose heads
the central flower in the umbellets sessile; NOT [the central flower in the umbellets pedicellate]
margin of bracts not spinescent
flowers yellow; NOT [flowers white]
fruit less than 1 cm long
fruit not linear
fruit flattened but wingless; NOT [fruit strongly flattened, broadly winged]
fruit glabrous; NOT [fruit usually pubescent], NOT [fruit covered with short hooked spines]

 

Umbelliferae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family.
herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]
plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]
plants not with colored milky juice
stems hollow; NOT [stems fleshy]
plants with more than one normal leaf
some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]
stipules absent but sheathing petioles present
flowers in umbels
parts of flowers mostly in fives; NOT [parts of flowers in twos or fours]
flowers with two floral rings
calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]
each petal distinct from the others 
stamens 10 or fewer; NOT [stamens usually more than 10]
styles 2; NOT [styles 5]
ovary inferior; NOT [ovary superior]