Queen Anne's lace is a member of the Apiaceae or Carrot family and is also referred to as Wild Carrot.  It is a biennial plant with a stout taproot.  Originally a native of Eurasia, it is now considered to be a weed throughout most of North America.  The cultivated carrot is a race of this species.

Additional information about this plant may be found at the USDA PLANTS Database:

http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch?keywordquery=queen+anne%27s+lace&mode=comname