Introduction to umbellifers - Cambridgeshire

About this course 
 

The Carrot family, otherwise known as the Umbellifer or Apiaceae family, is an intriguing group of plants. It contains some of our most loved herbs and vegetables, like carrots (obviously!), parsnips, celery, fennel, dill, and parsley. Its members also include some seriously poisonous, even deadly, individuals like Hemlock, Hemlock Waterdropwort, and Fool's Parsley.

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Their beautiful umbrella-shaped flower heads adorn different habitats, and they provide important food sources for wildlife.

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The similarity between some of this family's members often discourages learning about them. However, a bit of help with those first steps can help you on your road to discovering more about these fascinating plants.

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Join us for a day to discover the carrot family and identification of species within it. The course is entirely outdoors.

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Aimed at beginners, the session will include:

• the basics of identifying umbellifers/apiaceae 

• introduction to botanical terms

• introduction to the use of keys

• examining identification points

• exploration of the local habitat

• identification of local species in the field 

• identification of other species brought along

• folklore and fun facts

• field guide to take home

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Lunch is not provided on this course. Please bring a packed lunch or use the onsite café. 

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This plant identification course walk is easy to reach from Peterborough, Northampton, Bedford, Stevenage, Newmarket, Wellingborough, Kettering and Cambridge.

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