Sanicula marilandica

Sanicula marilandica Maryland sanicle

Plant grows in the wild/spontaneouslyPlant is native to PA Add to MyPlants

Maryland sanicle is a perennial herb native to North America typically found in moist forests in rich, well-drained soils or limestone slopes.  Both basal and stem leaves are palmately compound with 5 or occasionally 7 leaflets. Sometimes, the pair of leaflets closest to the base may be deeply cleft, creating the appearance of having 7 leaflets instead of 5.  Each leaflet is up 6″ long and to 2″ wide, coarsely toothed and normally widest above the middle The basal leaves are on long stalks, reaching up to 6″, while the stalks of the cauline leaves become progressively shorter as they ascend the stem. 

Small greenish-white flowers appear in clusters at tops of branching stems.  Each inflorescence contains 1 to 5 compound umbels at the end of a stem.  Each umbel is supported by a pair of three-lobed leaf-like bracts. Each primary umbel branches into 2 to 4 secondary umbels (umbelletes).  The umbellets usually have have 12 to 25 flowers, rarely number of flowers may reach 100 to 120. Most umbelletes have 1 to 4 (most often 3) perfect (male and female) flowers (the rest being male), and some will have only male flowers. Male flowers are on 116 to ⅛″ stalks and rise above the perfect flowers that are stalkless. Each umbellete is supported by several toothed bractlets (3 to 9).

The fruits are dry, nearly oval and like in other sanicles, are covered with hooked bristles. These bristles allow the fruits to attach to furs of passing animals, ensureing seed dispersal. 

The tannin in this plant accounts for its use as an astringent.

Grows in moist woods, bogs & wooded limestone slopes.  Part to full shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil.

Present throughout the state.

Range: From Newfounland south to Florida, west to Washington and British Columbia.

Wetland codes
EMP: FACU
NCNE: FACU



Flowers June to early August.

Inflorescence  on top of stem; contains 1 to 5 compound umbels subtended by pair of 3-lobed bracts; umbel branches into 2 to 4 umbellets, each ray is up to 1″ long; umbellete contains 12-25 flowers on average, rarely goes up to 100-120

Flowers  greenish-white with greenish-white (when young) anthers; perfect or staminate; 5 petals, 5 sepals, petals just slightly longer than the sepals; stamens extend above corolla and have greenish-white anthers when young turning brown with age

  perfect flowers  nearly sessile, 2 long spreading (becomeing arching at maturity) styles, small ovary covered with hooked bristles

  staminate flowers  116 to ⅛″ stalks, rise above perfect flowers (if there are such in the umbellete)

Leaves  palmately compound, basal and cauline, with 5 or sometimes 7 leaflets;

   basal leaves  petioles up to 6″ long

   cauline leaves  alternate; lower leaves are on longer petioles (stalks), stalks reduce up to the stem to almost stalkless leaves

   leaflets  6″ long, 2″ wide; glabrous; coarsely serrate or deeply incised; cuneate

Stems  erect, multiple, glabrous, each branching closer to top

Fruit  ovoid, dry, sessile or almost sessile; covered with hooked bristles; ⅙″ long; splits into 2 seeds; the 2 arching styles remain on the fruit

Rhizome  thick, horizontal; produces new shoots along its length

Height  1 to 4 feet

Compound leaves may have 7 leaflets, other sanicles have no more than 5.

S-rank:  S5 (Secure)
G-rank:  G5 (Secure)

Native Americans used this plant to treat fever and various skin conditions.  White settlers used the root to induce vomiting to expel poison.

The main pollinators are small insects such as bees, flies and beetles.

Sanicula marilandica Maryland sanicle

Plant grows in the wild/spontaneouslyPlant is native to PA
Sanicula marilandica gallery
Plant Life-Form
perennial forb
Common Names
Maryland sanicle black-snakeroot black sanicle American sanicle