''Lomatium'' is a genus in the family

Apiaceae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus '' Apium'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plan ...

. It consists of about 100 species native to western

Northern America Northern America is the northernmost subregion of North America. The boundaries may be drawn slightly differently. In one definition, it lies directly north of Middle America (including the Caribbean and Central America).Gonzalez, Joseph. 2 ...

and northern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. Its common names include biscuitroot, Indian parsley, and desert parsley. It is in the family

and therefore related to many familiar edible species such as carrots and celery; some ''Lomatium'' species are extensively used by Native Americans in the inland Northwest as a staple food.

Description

Roots range from woody taproots to more fleshy underground tuberous-thickened roots. Most lomatiums are desert species or grow on bluffs or mountain slopes where water is limited for most of the year. They are green and grow the most during the spring when water is available, and many species then set seed and dry out completely above ground before the hottest part of the year, while storing the energy they gained from photosynthesizing while water was available to them in their deep roots. For most of the year, the plant is not visible; the brown tops often are blown off or easily crushed, but it lies dormant underground for the next spring. The flowers are arranged in compound

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

s, without involucral

bracts In botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the An ...

(or with inconspicuous bracts). The flowers are white or yellow, more rarely a purple or maroon color. As with most Apiaceae, the fruit sets the genus apart from other yellow- or white-flowered look-alikes such as ''Cymopterus'' and ''Orogenia''. Uniquely, they are dorsally flattened and winged, which can be papery or corky, but help the seed to disperse further on the wind. The dorsal ribs may or may not be on the fruit, but are narrowly winged if at all. Leaves are mainly basal and dissected (ternately, pinnately, or ternate-pinnately dissected or compound), many look like ferns or can be mistaken for them.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Lomatium'' was established by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1819.

Kurt Sprengel Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel (3 August 1766 – 15 March 1833) was a German botanist and physician who published an influential multivolume history of medicine, ''Versuch einer pragmatischen Geschichte der Arzneikunde'' (1792–99 in four vol ...

published the name ''Cogswellia'' in 1920; this is regarded as an

illegitimate name ''Nomen illegitimum'' (Latin for illegitimate name) is a technical term, used mainly in botany. It is usually abbreviated as ''nom. illeg.'' Although the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants uses Latin terms for other ki ...

as it was superfluous.

Selected species

, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species: *'' Lomatium ambiguum'' (Nutt.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium andrusianum'' M.Stevens & Mansfield *'' Lomatium anomalum'' M.E.Jones ex J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium attenuatum'' Evert *''

Lomatium austiniae ''Lomatium austiniae'' (Austin's desertparsley or Sonne's desert parsley) is a perennial plant in the carrot family (Apiaceae) occurring in a limited area of Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is ...

'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium bentonitum'' K.M.Carlson & Mansfield *'' Lomatium bicolor'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium bradshawii'' (Rose) Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium brandegeei ''Lomatium brandegeei'', also known as Brandegee's desert-parsley is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae that grows in northern Washington and into British Columbia. Compound umbels with yellow flowers appear from May to June. It has a relat ...

'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.F.Macbr. *''

Lomatium brunsfeldianum ''Lomatium'' is a genus in the family Apiaceae. It consists of about 100 species native to western Northern America and northern Mexico. Its common names include biscuitroot, Indian parsley, and desert parsley. It is in the family Apiaceae and t ...

'' Kemper & R.P.McNeill *''

Lomatium californicum ''Lomatium californicum'' is a species of plant related to the carrot and the parsnip which is known by the common names California rock parsnip, celery weed, and California lomatium. This plant is native to California and Oregon. It is found ...

'' (Nutt.) Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium canbyi ''Lomatium canbyi'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Canby's biscuitroot (lúukš in the Sahaptin language and qeqíit in the Nez Perce language). It is native to the Pacific Northwest of the United ...

'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium caruifolium ''Lomatium caruifolium'', known by the common name alkali desertparsley, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family. Distribution The perennial herb is endemic to California, in the Central Valley and the foothills of the Inner Calif ...

'' (Hook. & Arn.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium ciliolatum ''Lomatium ciliolatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Yolla Bolly biscuitroot. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the mountain ranges adjacent to the north and south of the San Fra ...

'' Jeps. *''

Lomatium columbianum ''Lomatium columbianum'' is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae known by the common names purple leptotaenia and Columbia desert parsley. It is endemic to the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington ...

'' Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium congdonii ''Lomatium congdonii'', known by the common names Mariposa desertparsley and Congdon's lomatium, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family . Distribution ''Lomatium congdonii'' is endemic to California, where it is known from only ab ...

'' J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium cookii ''Lomatium cookii'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common names Cook's lomatium and agate desertparsley. It is endemic to Oregon in the United States, where it grows in only two valleys. It is a federally ...

'' Kagan *''

Lomatium cous ''Lomatium cous'' (cous biscuitroot) is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae. The root is prized as a food by the tribes of the southern plateau of the Pacific Northwest. Meriwether Lewis collected a specimen in 1806 while on his expedition. ...

'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium cusickii'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium cuspidatum'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium dasycarpum'' (Torr. & A.Gray) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium depauperatum'' (M.E.Jones) J.A.Alexander & Whaley *'' Lomatium dissectum'' (Nutt.) Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium donnellii'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium eastwoodiae'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.F.Macbr. *'' Lomatium engelmannii'' Mathias *'' Lomatium erythrocarpum'' Meinke & Constance *'' Lomatium farinosum'' (Geyer) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium filicinum'' (M.E.Jones) Mansfield & M.Stevens *'' Lomatium foeniculaceum'' (Nutt.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium fusiformis ''Lomatium fusiformis'', synonym ''Orogenia fusiformis'', is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family. It is known by the common name California Indian potato. It is native to the western United States from California to Montana, wher ...

'' (S.Watson) J.F.Sm. & Mansfield *'' Lomatium geyeri'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium gormanii'' (Howell) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium graveolens'' (S.Watson) Dorn & R.L.Hartm. *'' Lomatium grayi'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium greenmanii'' Mathias *'' Lomatium hallii'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium hendersonii'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium hooveri'' (Mathias & Constance) Constance & B.Ertter *'' Lomatium howellii'' (S.Watson) Jeps. *'' Lomatium idahoense'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium insulare'' (Eastw.) Munz *'' Lomatium junceum'' Barneby & N.H.Holmgren *'' Lomatium juniperinum'' (M.E.Jones) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium klickitatense'' J.A.Alexander & Whaley *'' Lomatium knokei'' Darrach *'' Lomatium kogholiini'' K.M.Mason & Willie *'' Lomatium laevigatum'' J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium latilobum'' (Rydb.) Mathias *'' Lomatium linearifolium'' (S.Watson) J.F.Sm. & Mansfield *'' Lomatium lithosolamans'' J.F.Sm. & M.A.Feist *'' Lomatium lucidum'' (Nutt.) Jeps. *'' Lomatium macrocarpum'' (Hook. & Arn.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium marginatum'' (Benth.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium martindalei'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium minimum'' (Mathias) Mathias *'' Lomatium minus'' (Rose ex Howell) Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium mohavense'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium multifidum'' (Nutt.) R.P.McNeill & Darrach *'' Lomatium nevadense'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium nudicaule'' (Nutt.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium nuttallii'' (A.Gray) J.F.Macbr. *'' Lomatium observatorium'' Constance & B.Ertter *'' Lomatium ochocense'' Helliwell & Constance *'' Lomatium oreganum'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium orientale'' J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium papilioniferum'' J.A.Alexander & Whaley *'' Lomatium parryi'' (S.Watson) J.F.Macbr. *'' Lomatium parvifolium'' (Hook. & Arn.) Jeps. *'' Lomatium pastorale'' Darrach & D.H.Wagner *'' Lomatium peckianum'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium piperi'' J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium planosum'' (Osterh.) Mansfield & S.R.Downie *'' Lomatium quintuplex'' Schlessman & Constance *'' Lomatium ravenii'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium repostum'' (Jeps.) Mathias *'' Lomatium rigidum'' (M.E.Jones) Jeps. *'' Lomatium rollinsii'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium roneorum'' Darrach *'' Lomatium roseanum'' Cronquist *'' Lomatium salmoniflorum'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium sandbergii'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium scabrum'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) Mathias *'' Lomatium serpentinum'' (M.E.Jones) Mathias *'' Lomatium shevockii'' R.L.Hartm. & Constance *'' Lomatium simplex'' (Nutt. ex S.Watson) J.F.Macbr. *''

Lomatium stebbinsii ''Lomatium stebbinsii'', known by the common name Stebbins' desertparsley, is a rare species of flowering plant in the Apiaceae, carrot family. Distribution The plant is Endemism, endemic to the central−western Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nev ...

'' Schlessman & Constance *'' Lomatium suksdorfii'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium swingerae ''Lomatium'' is a genus in the family Apiaceae. It consists of about 100 species native to western Northern America and northern Mexico. Its common names include biscuitroot, Indian parsley, and desert parsley. It is in the family Apiaceae and t ...

'' R.P.McNeill *'' Lomatium tamanitchii'' Darrach & Thie *'' Lomatium tarantuloides'' Darrach & Hinchliff *'' Lomatium tenuissimum'' (Geyer ex Hook.) M.A.Feist & G.M.Plunkett *'' Lomatium thompsonii'' (Mathias) Cronquist *'' Lomatium torreyi'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium tracyi'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium triternatum'' (Pursh) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium tuberosum'' Hoover *''

Lomatium utriculatum ''Lomatium utriculatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name common lomatium or spring gold. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows in many types of hab ...

'' (Nutt.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium vaginatum'' J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium watsonii'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose

Ecology

It grows in a variety of habitats throughout western North America, from coastal bluffs to piles of basalt rock.

Conservation concerns

Many species' habitats are under threat by grazing, development, and wildfires. Also, some concern exists about particular species such as ''L. dissectum'', which is mainly harvested from the wild for herbal uses. Because the genus is so difficult to identify, but has great genetic diversity, new species are still being found today such as ''L. tarantuloides'',. Many species often have a very limited geographical range, with the plants being few in number.

Cultivation and uses

Several species, including '' L. cous'', '' L. geyeri'', and '' L. macrocarpum'', are sometimes known as biscuit roots for their starchy

edible root Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl ...

s. These are or have been traditional Native American foods, eaten cooked or dried and ground into flour. Some Native Americans ground ''Lomatium'' into mush and shaped it into cakes and stored them for later use. Their flavor has been compared to

celery Celery (''Apium graveolens'') is a marshland plant in the family Apiaceae that has been cultivated as a vegetable since antiquity. Celery has a long fibrous stalk tapering into leaves. Depending on location and cultivar, either its stalks, ...

parsnip The parsnip ('' Pastinaca sativa'') is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, all belonging to the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual. Its long taproot has cream-colored skin an ...

, or stale biscuits.

References

External links

* *
USDA Plants Profile

UVSC Herbarium - Lomatium

Food uses at Plants for a Future
{{Taxonbar, from=Q9023584 Apiaceae genera Flora of North America Edible Apiaceae Root vegetables Medicinal plants of North America Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque