The Genus Osmorhiza East of the Cascade Mts.

Common Sweet Cicely, Mountain Sweet Cicely, Sweetroot: Osmorhiza berteroi (formerly Osmorhiza chilensis) - Fruits with bristly hairs at the base and onto the body of the fruit. Tip of fruit noticeably narrowed to a narrow beak 1-2 mm long while the base tapers gradually to the pedicel. Fruits 12-22 mm long. Rays and pedicels ascending-spreading rather than widely spreading. Flowers mostly greenish-white.

Blunt-fruited Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza depauperata - Fruits with bristly hairs at the base and onto the body of the fruit. Tip of fruit rounded or obtuse, not narrowed to a narrow beak. Rays of umbel and pedicels widely spreading.

Mountain Sweet Cicely, Sierran Sweet-cicely, Western Sweet-cicely, Western Sweetroot: Osmorhiza occidentalis (Synonyms: Glycosma ambiguum, Glycosma occidentalis, Osmorhiza ambigua, Osmorhiza ambiguum) - Fruits glabrous, generally about the same diameter through most of the length of the fruit, not tapering gradually to the base. Fruits 12-20 mm long. Rays of umbel and pedicels closely ascending. Flowers yellow or occasionally greenish-white. Stems clustered, stems and foliage with a strong licorice scent.

Purple Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza purpurea - Fruits with bristly hairs at the base and onto the body of the fruit. Tip of fruit narrowed to a narrow beak, the base narrowed gradually. Fruits 8-13 mm long. Rays and pedicels ascending-spreading rather than widely spreading. Flowers pink, purple or occasionally grennish-white. Stems mostly solitary.