Zizia aurea

Golden Alexanders is a perennial herb that is 40-80 cm tall with branched stems arising from a cluster of fleshy roots. The lower leaves are twice divided into threes, with ultimate leaflets that are broadly lance-shaped, 25-50 mm long, and finely toothed on the margins. The upper leaves are once divided into three leaflets. The herbage is glabrous or nearly so. The flowers are borne in flat-topped, umbrella-like inflorescences, or umbels, that are 1-4 cm high and located at the ends of the branches. Each flower has five inconspicuous sepals and five small, bright yellow petals borne on top of the ovary. The ribbed fruits are narrowly elliptic and 2-4 mm long.

The twice-ternate leaves and yellow flowers distinguish this species from other members of the Parsley Family in our area.