The common water fennel is a Mediterranean-Atlantic species present in all regions of Italy, except in the Valle d'Aosta and Trentino-Alto Adige. It grows along ditches and banks of ponds, and in wet meadows, on periodically flooded, muddy-clayey soils, with optimum below the montane belt. The species is rare on the edge of the temporary ponds in contact with the Mediterranean maquis vegetation. The whole plant is poisonous, due to the presence of neuro enterotoxic active principles (oenanthetoxines). The genus name derives from the Greek 'oinos' (wine) and 'anthos' (flower), as when ingested in small doses the plant causes mental changes similar to drunkenness (at high doses it is highly poisonous); the species name refers to the vague resemblance with species of the genus Pimpinella. Flowering period: May to July.

Italian name(s): Cabbasisi di margiu (Sicilia), Enante pimpinelloide (Italia), Fasolaria (antichi), Fenoli d'aghe (Friuli), Filipendula aquatica (Toscana, Pisa), Finocchio acquatico comune (Italia), Finocchio aquatico (Toscana, Val di Chiana), Granfa di gatto (Campania, Ischia), Pastinaca salvatica (Toscana), Prezzemolo d'acqua (Toscana, Val di Chiana), Prezzemolo salvatico (Toscana).