Cymopterus Explained

Cymopterus is a genus of perennial plants in the family Apiaceae native to western North America. They are commonly known as the spring parsleys^[1] and are edible. They are mostly stemless, taprooted perennial herbs with leaves at ground level and flowering scapes bearing yellow, white, or purple flowers.^[2]

Taxonomy

The taxonomy of this genus was described as confused in 2004, even after many decades of study.^[3] Authors have organized it in different ways, sometimes including several closely related Apiaceae genera within it.^[3] Genera recently segregated from Cymopterus include Vesper, six plants with morphological characters that are well-defined and easily separated from Cymopterus; the group has been separated before, but was reintegrated during repeated reorganizations of the genus.^[4] The number of accepted species has varied between about 50^[2] to about 35.^[5]

Species

, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:^[6]

• Cymopterus aboriginum M.E.Jones – Indian parsnip, Indian springparsley
• Cymopterus alpinus A.Gray
• Cymopterus anisatus A.Gray
• Cymopterus basalticus M.E.Jones – basalt springparsley
• Cymopterus beckii S.L.Welsh & Goodrich – featherleaf springparsley
• Cymopterus cinerarius A.Gray – gray springparsley
• Cymopterus crawfordensis K.Moon, S.L.Welsh & Goodrich
• Cymopterus davidsonii (J.M.Coult. & Rose) R.L.Hartm.
• Cymopterus davisii R.L.Hartm. – Davis' springparsley
• Cymopterus deserticola Brandegee – desert springparsley
• Cymopterus douglassii R.L.Hartm. & Constance – Douglass' springparsley
• Cymopterus duchesnensis M.E.Jones – Duchesne biscuitroot, Uinta Basin springparsley
• Cymopterus evertii R.L.Hartm. & R.S.Kirkp. – Evert's springparsley
• Cymopterus gilmanii C.V.Morton – Gilman's springparsley
• Cymopterus glaucus Nutt. – smooth springparsley, waxy springparsley
• Cymopterus globosus (S.Watson) S.Watson – globe springparsley
• Cymopterus glomeratus (Nutt.) DC. – plains springparsley
• Cymopterus goodrichii S.L.Welsh & Neese – Goodrich's springparsley, Toiyabe springparsley
• Cymopterus hallii (A.Gray) B.L.Turner
• Cymopterus humilis (Raf.) Tidestr.
• Cymopterus jonesii J.M.Coult. & Rose – Jones' springparsley
• Cymopterus longipes S.Watson – longstalk springparsley, sprawling springparsley
• Cymopterus megacephalus M.E.Jones – largeleaf springparsley
• Cymopterus minimus (Mathias) Mathias – Cedar Breaks springparsley
• Cymopterus newberryi (S.Watson) M.E.Jones – sweetroot springparsley, sticky springparsley
• Cymopterus nivalis S.Watson – snowline springparsley, Elko springparsley
• Cymopterus panamintensis J.M.Coult. & Rose – Panamint springparsley
• Cymopterus petraeus M.E.Jones
• Cymopterus purpureus S.Watson – purple springparsley, Colorado Plateau springparsley, variable springparsley
• Cymopterus ripleyi Barneby – Ripley's springparsley
• Cymopterus rosei (M.E.Jones ex Coult. & Rose) M.E.Jones – Rose's springparsley
• Cymopterus sessiliflorus (W.L.Theob. & C.C.Tseng) R.L.Hartm.
• Cymopterus spellenbergii R.L.Hartm. & J.E.Larson
• Cymopterus terebinthinus (Hook.) Torr. & A.Gray – turpentine wavewing
• Cymopterus williamsii R.L.Hartm. & Constance – Williams' springparsley

Formerly included here

• Vesper multinervatus (as Cymopterus multinervatus)
• Vesper purpurascens (as Cymopterus purpurascens)

Further reading

• Sun, F. J. and S. R. Downie. (2010). Phylogenetic relationships among the perennial, endemic Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae of western North America: additional data from the cpDNA trnF-trnL-trnT region continue to support a highly polyphyletic Cymopterus. Plant Diversity and Evolution 128(1-2), 151-72.

Notes and References

1. http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CYMOP2 Cymopterus.
2. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=21654 Cymopterus.
3. Sun, F. and S. R. Downie. (2004). A molecular systematic investigation of Cymopterus and its allies (Apiaceae) based on phylogenetic analyses of nuclear (ITS) and plastid (rps16 intron) DNA sequences. South African Journal of Botany 70(3), 407-16.
4. Hartman, R. L. and G. L. Nesom. (2012). Taxonomy of the genus Vesper (Apiaceae). Phytoneuron 94 1-9.
5. Downie, S. R., et al. (2002). Polyphyly of the spring-parsleys (Cymopterus): molecular and morphological evidence suggests complex relationships among the perennial endemic genera of western North American Apiaceae. Canadian Journal of Botany 80(12), 1295-1324.
6. Web site: Cymopterus Raf.. . Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2022-12-26 .