Montane, subalpine.  Woodlands.  Spring, summer.
Prairie Dog Knoll Trail, Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 25, 2004.

Osmorhiza chilensis and Osmorhiza depauperata are wispy, very delicate plants easily over-looked even though they are common.  They grow singly, as in this picture, or in large colonies lining trails. Tiny white flowers are grouped in equally tiny sprays.  These give way to long, cylindrical seed pods.

The most recent botanical classification eliminates O. chilensis and splits it into three species, one of which is combined with O. depauperata. 

Stems , leaves, seeds, and especially roots of Sweet Cicely often have a pleasant anise flavor and aroma, thus its Greek genus name: "osmo" for "smell" and "rhiza" for "root".  "Chilensis" is for the country of Chile where the plant was first collected in the late 1820s.  "Depauperata", "diminutive", perhaps refers to Sweet Cicely’s very delicate, fragile form and tiny flowers.

Montane, subalpine.  Woodlands.  Spring, summer.
Prairie Dog Knoll Trail, Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 25, 2004.
Bear Creek Trail, July 1, 2004.

Even though the most recent botanical classification combines Osmorhiza chilensis with Osmorhiza depauperata, there are variations that are interesting to observe: the Osmorhiza chilensis flowers and seeds are spread in an upward pointing  spray.  Contrast this with Osmorhiza depauperata below whose flowers and seeds spread nearly at right angles to the main flower stalk.  Seeds of O. chilensis are nearly cylindrical; seeds of O. depauperata are club-shaped.  Otherwise the plants are almost identical in appearance.

Montane, subalpine.  Woodlands.  Spring, summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, July 14, 2006.

See above contrast and comparison with Osmorhiza chilensis.  

Montane, subalpine.  Woodlands.  Spring, summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, July 14, 2006.

Montane, subalpine.  Woodlands.  Spring, summer.
Kilpacker Trail, August 1, 2000.

Notice the numerous wide open sprays of club-shaped seeds.

Osmorhiza occidentalis (Sweet Cicely)
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Spring, summer.
Echo Basin Loop Road, June 7, 2004.

The Osmorhiza occidentalis flower is so tiny and so spread on long stems that it is easily overlooked. Leaves are pointed and serrated; stems are thick and swaying.  Osmorhiza occidentalis can occur singly in open dry woods or in very large patches in moist woods.  Compare this Sweet Cicely to its even more common close relatives, Osmorhiza depauperata and Osmorhiza chilensis above.

Stems , leaves, seeds, and roots of Sweet Cicely often have a pleasant anise flavor and aroma, thus its Greek genus name: "osmo" for "smell" and "rhiza" for "root". "Occidentalis" is Latin for "Western".

Thomas Nuttall collected the first specimen of this plant in what is now Oregon in the early 1830s. He named it Glycosma occidentalis in 1840 and it was given its present name by John Torrey in 1858.

Osmorhiza occidentalis (Sweet Cicely)
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Spring, summer.
Fish Creek Trail, August 9, 2005.

Seed pods are a half inch to almost an inch long on very wide spreading and noticeable stems.