Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 19, 2026

Sium

Sium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae. It is widely distributed across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Plants of this genus are commonly called water parsnips.

Last revised
Jun 19, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
361 w
Citations
9
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Sium
Sium suave
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Subfamily: Apioideae
Tribe: Oenantheae
Genus: Sium
L.
Synonyms1
  • Sion Adans.
  • Sisarum Bubani, nom. illeg.
  • Sisarum Daubenton
  • Siumis Raf.

Sium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae. It is widely distributed across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.2 Plants of this genus are commonly called water parsnips.345

These are perennial herbs, including some fully aquatic plants and some species that grow near water. The branching stem roots at the nodes. The lower leaves are pinnate, divided into leaflets. They are borne on petioles that sheath the stem at their bases. The inflorescence is a compound umbel of flowers with white petals.2

Species

Ten species are accepted:1

  • Sium crispulifolium (H.Boissieu) Jing Zhou
  • Sium latifolium L. – wideleaf water parsnip, great water parsnip
  • Sium latijugum C.B.Clarke
  • Sium medium Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
  • Sium ninsi L.
  • Sium serra (Franch. & Sav.) Kitag.
  • Sium sisarum L. – skirret
  • Sium suave Walter – common water parsnip, hemlock water parsnip
  • Sium tenue (Kom.) Kom.
  • Sium ventricosum (H.Boissieu) Li S.Wang & M.F.Watson

Formerly placed here

  • Berula bracteata (Roxb.) Spalik & S.R.Downie (as Sium bracteatum (Roxb.) Cronk) – jellico, large jellico6
  • Berula burchellii (Hook.f.) Spalik & S.R.Downie (as Sium burchellii (Hook.f.) Hemsl.) – dwarf jellico7
References

References

  1. "Sium L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  2. Sium. Flora of China.
  3. Sium. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
  4. Spalik, K., et al. (2009). Generic delimitations within the Sium alliance (Apiaceae tribe Oenantheae) inferred from cpDNA rps16-5'trnk (UUU) and nrDNA ITS sequences. Taxon 58(3), 735-48.
  5. Spalik, K. and S. R. Downie. (2006). The evolutionary history of Sium sensu lato (Apiaceae): dispersal, vicariance, and domestication as inferred from ITS rDNA phylogeny. American Journal of Botany 93(5), 747-61.
  6. Lambdon, P.W.; Ellick, S. (2016). "Berula bracteata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T43985A67378473. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T43985A67378473.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  7. Lambdon, P.W.; Ellick, S. (2016). "Berula burchellii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T43986A67378501. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T43986A67378501.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
External links