Sweetroot

Like other members of this large family, sweetroot presents its tiny flowers in terminal, umbrella-shaped inflorescences that do little to assure us that the plant is not the deadly water hemlock (Cicula douglasii)

The plant is sometimes confused with Osmorhiza chilensis (western sweetroot), which often shares the same habitat. However, unlike red baneberry, sweetroot has a strong licorice-like odor.