Pepper-and-salt (Erigenia bulbosa, Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 187 (1818))

Family: Apiaceae

Author: (Michx.) Nutt.

Bibliography: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 187 (1818)

Year: 1818

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Erigenia

Vegetable: False

Observations: Ontario to NC. & E. U.S.A.

Description

Pepper-and-salt, scientifically known as Erigenia bulbosa, is a charming perennial herb belonging to the family Apiaceae. Its common name aptly describes the delicate appearance of its bloom, which comprises small white flowers speckled with dark anthers, presenting a contrast reminiscent of pepper and salt.

Native to regions ranging from Ontario to North Carolina and widely found across the eastern United States, Erigenia bulbosa thrives in a variety of habitats. It is often seen flourishing in rich, moist woodlands, favoring the understory of deciduous forests where it can benefit from the filtered sunlight during its early spring blooming period.

This plant holds a significant place in native flora due to its early flowering habit, typically blooming in March and April. It emerges from the ground on slender stalks, which can grow to a height of about 15 to 30 centimeters. The basal leaves are intricately compound and finely dissected, adding to the delicate appearance of the plant.

Erigenia bulbosa was first described in a scholarly context in the early 19th century, with its formal botanical description appearing in the “Genera of North American Plants” in 1818, a work authored by the renowned botanist Michaux and later classified by Nuttall.

With its ethereal beauty and early flowering period, Pepper-and-salt plays an important ecological role, providing one of the early sources of nectar and pollen for pollinators emerging after winter. Its presence is a herald of spring, offering a glimpse of nature’s resilience and the renewal of life in forest ecosystems.

Common Names

Eng: harbinger of spring, harbinger-of-spring, pepper-and-salt, pepper and salt, turkey-pea
Fra: messagère du printemps
En: Pepper-and-salt, Harbinger-of-spring, Harbinger of spring, Pepper and salt, Turkey-pea
Fr: Messagère du printemps
Ko: 에리게니아

Synonyms

• Sium bulbosum (Poir.)
• Hydrocotyle ambigua (Pursh)
• Hydrocotyle bulbosa (Eaton & Wright)
• Sison bulbosum (Michx.)
• Hydrocotyle composita (Pursh)
• Hydrocotyle bipinnata (Raf. ex Muhl.)
• Ligusticum bulbosum (Pers.)
• Hydrocotyle dissecta (Raf.)

Distribution

• Alabama (native)
• Arkansas (native)
• District of Columbia (native)
• Georgia (native)
• Illinois (native)
• Indiana (native)
• Kansas (native)
• Kentucky (native)
• Maryland (native)
• Michigan (native)
• Mississippi (native)
• Missouri (native)
• New York (native)
• North Carolina (native)
• Ohio (native)
• Oklahoma (native)
• Ontario (native)
• Pennsylvania (native)
• Tennessee (native)
• Virginia (native)
• West Virginia (native)
• Wisconsin (native)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Apr 7, 2013 by EOL − Dan Nydick (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jul 18, 2013 by EOL − Lee Elliott (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Mar 21, 2003 by EOL − Steven J. Baskauf (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Mar 21, 2003 by EOL − Steven J. Baskauf (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Hagerty Ryan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (public)

Habit

Taken Mar 20, 2016 by EOL − Robert L Curtis (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Apr 11, 2014 by EOL − msteg3 (cc-by-nc)

Taken May 4, 2014 by EOL − Robert L Curtis (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Apr 21, 2013 by EOL − Robert L Curtis (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Jan 23, 2015 by EOL − Christopher Tracey (cc-by-nc-sa)

Leaf

Taken Apr 17, 2015 by EOL − Erin Faulkner (cc-by-nc)

Taken Mar 21, 2003 by EOL − Steven J. Baskauf (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Apr 13, 2016 by EOL − Fred Losi (cc-by-nc)

Taken Feb 19, 2016 by EOL − leannewallisbiologist (cc-by-nc)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3034769)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:841611-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Erigenia bulbosa (Michx.) Nutt.)

Specifications

Growth habit>: Forb/herb

Growth