Zohary and Hopf note that the archaeological evidence for the cultivation of the parsnip is "still rather limited" and that Greek and Roman literary sources are a major source about its early use. Like carrots, parsnips are native to Eurasia and have been eaten there since ancient times. : 218 The parsnip has a chromosome number of 2 n=22. : 218ĭespite the slight morphological differences between the two, wild parsnip is the same taxon as the cultivated version, and the two readily cross-pollinate. They are colored straw to light brown, and measure 4 to 8 mm ( 3⁄ 16 to 5⁄ 16 in) long. The fruits, or schizocarps, are oval and flat, with narrow wings and short, spreading styles. They consist of five yellow petals that are curled inward, five stamens, and one pistil. The flowers have tiny sepals or lack them entirely, and measure about 3.5 mm ( 1⁄ 8 in). The umbels and umbellets usually have no upper or lower bracts. Six to 25 straight pedicels are present, each measuring 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) that support the umbellets (secondary umbels). The yellow flowers are in a loose, compound umbel measuring 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in) in diameter. It has a few stalkless, single-lobed leaves measuring 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) long that are arranged in opposite pairs. It is hairy, grooved, hollow (except at the nodes), and sparsely branched. The floral stem develops in the second year and can grow to more than 150 cm (60 in) tall. The petioles are grooved and have sheathed bases. The leaves are once- or twice-pinnate with broad, ovate, sometimes lobed leaflets with toothed margins they grow up to 40 cm (16 in) long. The lower leaves have short stems, the upper ones are stemless, and the terminal leaves have three lobes. The plant's apical meristem produces a rosette of pinnate leaves, each with several pairs of leaflets with toothed margins. Most are narrowly conical, but some cultivars have a more bulbous shape, which generally tends to be favored by food processors as it is more resistant to breakage. The roots are generally smooth, although lateral roots sometimes form. Parsnips are grown for their fleshy, edible, cream-colored taproots. The parsnip is a biennial plant with a rosette of roughly hairy leaves that have a pungent odor when crushed. Handling the stems and foliage can cause a skin rash if the skin is exposed to sunlight after handling. The plant is attacked by the carrot fly and other insect pests, as well as viruses and fungal diseases, of which canker is the most serious. Parsnips are best cultivated in deep, stone-free soil. It is high in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals (especially potassium) and also contains both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. The flesh has a sweet flavor, even more so than carrots, but the taste is different. Parsnips are usually cooked but can also be eaten raw. It was used as a sweetener before the arrival of cane sugar in Europe. The parsnip is native to Eurasia it has been used as a vegetable since antiquity and was cultivated by the Romans, although some confusion exists between parsnips and carrots in the literature of the time. By this time, the stem has become woody, and the tap root inedible. If unharvested, it produces a flowering stem topped by an umbel of small yellow flowers in its second growing season, later producing pale brown, flat, winged seeds. In its first growing season, the plant has a rosette of pinnate, mid-green leaves. Its long taproot has cream-colored skin and flesh, and, left in the ground to mature, becomes sweeter in flavor after winter frosts. It is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual. The parsnip ( Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, all belonging to the flowering plant family Apiaceae.
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