''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 plant ...

. 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. ...

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 Guate ...

. 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 The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each ...

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'' " ...

s, without involucral

bracts In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or o ...

(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 Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (; October 22, 1783September 18, 1840) was a French 19th-century polymath born near Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and self-educated in France. He traveled as a young man in the United States, ultima ...

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 vo ...

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 Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants ...

accepted the following species: *''

Lomatium ambiguum ''Lomatium ambiguum'', also known as Wyeth biscuitroot, is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae that grows in the northwestern United States and into British Columbia in dry areas. The leaves are divided into many blades, and stems can be sli ...

'' (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'' (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'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.F.Macbr. *'' Lomatium brunsfeldianum'' Kemper & R.P.McNeill *'' Lomatium californicum'' (Nutt.) Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium canbyi'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium caruifolium'' (Hook. & Arn.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium ciliolatum'' Jeps. *'' Lomatium columbianum'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium congdonii'' J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium cookii'' Kagan *'' Lomatium cous'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium cusickii'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium cuspidatum ''Lomatium cuspidatum'' (Wenatchee desertparsley) is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae, native to the U.S. state of Washington. It is found primarily on open rocky slopes in the Wenatchee Mountains, strongly associated with serpentine sc ...

'' Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium dasycarpum ''Lomatium dasycarpum'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name woollyfruit desertparsley. It is native to California and Baja California, where it is widespread throughout many of the mountain ranges, includ ...

'' (Torr. & A.Gray) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium depauperatum ''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 a ...

'' (M.E.Jones) J.A.Alexander & Whaley *''

Lomatium dissectum ''Lomatium dissectum'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common names fernleaf biscuitroot and fernleaf desert parsley. It is native to much of western North America, where it grows in varied habitat. It is found i ...

'' (Nutt.) Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium donnellii'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium eastwoodiae ''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 ...

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

Lomatium engelmannii ''Lomatium engelmannii'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Engelmann's desertparsley, or Engelmann's lomatium. It is native to the Klamath Mountains of southern Oregon and northern California ...

'' Mathias *'' Lomatium erythrocarpum'' Meinke & Constance *''

Lomatium farinosum ''Lomatium farinosum'', with the common name northern biscuitroot, is a perennial flowering herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients ...

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

Lomatium filicinum ''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 ...

'' (M.E.Jones) Mansfield & M.Stevens *''

Lomatium foeniculaceum ''Lomatium foeniculaceum'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name desert biscuitroot. It is native to much of western and central North America, where it grows in many types of habitat. Description ''Lomati ...

'' (Nutt.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium fusiformis'' (S.Watson) J.F.Sm. & Mansfield *''

Lomatium geyeri ''Lomatium geyeri'', or Geyer's biscuitroot, is a perennial herb in the family Apiaceae found in the Northwestern United States and British Columbia. References External linksUSDA Plants Profile for ''Lomatium geyeri''
Lomatium, geyer ...

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

Lomatium gormanii ''Lomatium gormanii'', with the common names Gorman's biscuitroot and salt & pepper, is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae. It is endemic to the Northwestern United States, in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, being found in steppes and monta ...

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

Lomatium graveolens ''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 ...

'' (S.Watson) Dorn & R.L.Hartm. *''

Lomatium grayi ''Lomatium grayi'', commonly known as Gray's biscuitroot, Gray's desert parsley, or pungent desert parsley, is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae. It is native to Western Canada in British Columbia, and the Western United States, including ...

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

Lomatium greenmanii ''Lomatium greenmanii'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the Apiaceae, carrot family known by the common names Greenman's desertparsley and Greenman's biscuitroot. It is Endemism, endemic to Oregon in the United States, where it is found o ...

'' Mathias *''

Lomatium hallii ''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 ...

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

Lomatium hendersonii ''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 a ...

'' (J.M.Coult. & Rose) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium hooveri'' (Mathias & Constance) Constance & B.Ertter *'' Lomatium howellii'' (S.Watson) Jeps. *''

Lomatium idahoense ''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 ...

'' Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium insulare ''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 ...

'' (Eastw.) Munz *''

Lomatium junceum ''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 a ...

'' Barneby & N.H.Holmgren *'' Lomatium juniperinum'' (M.E.Jones) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium klickitatense ''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 a ...

'' J.A.Alexander & Whaley *''

Lomatium knokei ''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 ...

'' Darrach *'' Lomatium kogholiini'' K.M.Mason & Willie *''

Lomatium laevigatum ''Lomatium laevigatum'', commonly known as slickrock biscuitroot, is a perennial herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savor ...

'' J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium latilobum'' (Rydb.) Mathias *''

Lomatium linearifolium ''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 a ...

'' (S.Watson) J.F.Sm. & Mansfield *''

Lomatium lithosolamans ''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 a ...

'' J.F.Sm. & M.A.Feist *''

Lomatium lucidum ''Lomatium lucidum'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name shiny biscuitroot. It is native to coastal mountains and canyons of southern California and Baja California, where it is a member of the chaparral ...

'' (Nutt.) Jeps. *'' Lomatium macrocarpum'' (Hook. & Arn.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium marginatum'' (Benth.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium martindalei ''Lomatium martindalei'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common names Cascade desertparsley and coast range lomatium, native to western North America. Range ''Lomatium martindalei'' is native to the west coast ...

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

Lomatium minimum ''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 ...

'' (Mathias) Mathias *'' Lomatium minus'' (Rose ex Howell) Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium mohavense ''Lomatium mohavense'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Mojave desertparsley. It is native to southern California with a few outlying populations in Arizona, Nevada and Baja California. It is found ...

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

Lomatium multifidum ''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 ...

'' (Nutt.) R.P.McNeill & Darrach *''

Lomatium nevadense ''Lomatium nevadense'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Nevada biscuitroot. It is native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where it is known from several different habitat types, inclu ...

'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium nudicaule'' (Nutt.) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium nuttallii ''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 ...

'' (A.Gray) J.F.Macbr. *'' Lomatium observatorium'' Constance & B.Ertter *'' Lomatium ochocense'' Helliwell & Constance *''

Lomatium oreganum ''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 ...

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

Lomatium orientale ''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 ...

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

Lomatium papilioniferum ''Lomatium papilioniferum'' is a species of ''Lomatium'' previously included in the ''Lomatium grayi ''Lomatium grayi'', commonly known as Gray's biscuitroot, Gray's desert parsley, or pungent desert parsley, is a perennial herb of the family ...

'' J.A.Alexander & Whaley *''

Lomatium parryi ''Lomatium parryi'', commonly known as Parry's biscuitroot and Utah desertparsley, is a perennial herb in the carrot family. It is a common herb in high altitude areas of deserts and common in desert National parks, such as Death Valley mountain ...

'' (S.Watson) J.F.Macbr. *''

Lomatium parvifolium ''Lomatium parvifolium'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common names coastal biscuitroot and small-leaved lomatium. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Central Coast and cent ...

'' (Hook. & Arn.) Jeps. *''

Lomatium pastorale ''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 ...

'' Darrach & D.H.Wagner *''

Lomatium peckianum ''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 ...

'' Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium piperi ''Lomatium piperi'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name salt-and-pepper or Indian biscuitroot (and called mámɨn in the local Sahaptin language). It is native to the Northwestern United States and north ...

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

Lomatium planosum ''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 ...

'' (Osterh.) Mansfield & S.R.Downie *''

Lomatium quintuplex ''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 ...

'' Schlessman & Constance *''

Lomatium ravenii ''Lomatium ravenii'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common names Lassen parsley and Raven's lomatium. It is native to the Great Basin of the United States, where it grows in sagebrush and other plateau habitat ...

'' Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium repostum ''Lomatium repostum'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Napa biscuitroot, or Napa lomatium. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the northrthern California Coast Ranges ...

'' (Jeps.) Mathias *'' Lomatium rigidum'' (M.E.Jones) Jeps. *''

Lomatium rollinsii ''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 ...

'' Mathias & Constance *''

Lomatium roneorum ''Lomatium roneorum'', Rone's desert-parsley or Rone's biscuit-root, is a species of ''Lomatium ''Lomatium'' is a genus in the family Apiaceae. It consists of about 100 species native to western Northern America and northern Mexico. Its common ...

'' Darrach *'' Lomatium roseanum'' Cronquist *''

Lomatium salmoniflorum ''Lomatium salmoniflorum'' (salmonflower biscuitroot) is a perennial herb native to the northwest United States. In February and March one to nineteen umbels bloom, each with up to 300 flowers. Each flower is either strictly staminate or hermaph ...

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

Lomatium sandbergii ''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 a ...

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

Lomatium scabrum ''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 ...

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

Lomatium serpentinum ''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 ...

'' (M.E.Jones) Mathias *''

Lomatium shevockii ''Lomatium shevockii'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Owens Peak desertparsley, or Owens Peak lomatium. It is endemic to Kern County, California, where it is known from only two occurrences at ...

'' R.L.Hartm. & Constance *''

Lomatium simplex ''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 ...

'' (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 carrot family. Distribution The plant is endemic to the central−western Sierra Nevada in California. It is known only from t ...

'' Schlessman & Constance *''

Lomatium suksdorfii ''Lomatium suksdorfii'' (Suksdorf's desertparsley) is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae that grows in Washington and Oregon, United States. It is 50–200 cm tall, glabrous, caulescent, and has a taproot. It flowers from late Ma ...

'' (S.Watson) J.M.Coult. & Rose *'' Lomatium swingerae'' R.P.McNeill *''

Lomatium tamanitchii ''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 ...

'' Darrach & Thie *''

Lomatium tarantuloides ''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 a ...

'' Darrach & Hinchliff *''

Lomatium tenuissimum ''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 ...

'' (Geyer ex Hook.) M.A.Feist & G.M.Plunkett *''

Lomatium thompsonii ''Lomatium thompsonii'', commonly known as Thompson's desertparsley, is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae endemic to Chelan and Kittitas County in Washington, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly k ...

'' (Mathias) Cronquist *''

Lomatium torreyi ''Lomatium torreyi'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Sierra biscuitroot. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it grows in the forests of the high mountains. Description ''Lomatium ...

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

Lomatium tracyi ''Lomatium tracyi'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name Tracy's desertparsley, or Tracy's lomatium. It is native to the mountains of northern California and southern Oregon, where it grows in the forest ...

'' Mathias & Constance *'' Lomatium triternatum'' (Pursh) J.M.Coult. & Rose *''

Lomatium tuberosum ''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 ...

'' Hoover *''

Lomatium utriculatum ''Lomatium utriculatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the Apiaceae, 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 typ ...

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

Lomatium vaginatum ''Lomatium vaginatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name broadsheath desertparsley. It is native to northern California and adjacent sections of Oregon and Nevada on the Modoc Plateau __NOTOC__ The ...

'' 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

starch Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diets ...

y edible roots. These are or have been traditional Native American foods, eaten cooked or dried and ground into

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many c ...

. 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 ...

, or stale

biscuit A biscuit is a flour-based baked and shaped food product. In most countries biscuits are typically hard, flat, and unleavened. They are usually sweet and may be made with sugar, chocolate, icing, jam, ginger, or cinnamon. They can also be ...

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