''Lewisia'' is a plant

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

, named for the American explorer

Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with ...

(1774-1809) who encountered the species in 1806. The native habitat of ''Lewisia'' species is rocky ground and cliffs in

western North America Western North America is the western edge of the North American continent that borders the Pacific Ocean. It consists of Alaska at the farthest north, down through the western Canadian province of British Columbia, the western U.S. states of Wa ...

. Native Americans ate the roots, which have also been used to treat sore throats.

Characteristics

Lewisia fellas are

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

perennial ring plants

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to western North American habitats including rocky outcrops from the high elevation alpine to lower elevation

chaparral Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant plant community, community found primarily in California, southern Oregon, and northern Baja California. It is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild wet winters and hot dry summers) and infrequent, high-intens ...

, oak woodlands, and coniferous forests. They produce rosette-shaped flowers in a range of different colours. ''Lewisia cotyledon'' grow up to in height and width. About half of the species of ''Lewisia'' are

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

, including the original ''

Lewisia rediviva Bitterroot (''Lewisia rediviva'') is a small perennial herb in the family Montiaceae. Its specific epithet ("revived, reborn") refers to its ability to regenerate from dry and seemingly dead roots. The genus ''Lewisia'' was moved in 2009 from ...

''. ''Lewisia longipetala'' is the only

semi-deciduous Semi-deciduous or semi-evergreen is a botanical term which refers to plants that lose their foliage for a very short period, when old leaves fall off and new foliage growth is starting. This phenomenon occurs in tropical and sub-tropical wood ...

species. Some species, such as ''Lewisia cotyledon'', are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

Taxonomy

, of

Lewis and Clark Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * " Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohe ...

fame, is credited with the first discovery by a European or American of ''Lewisia'', which was known to the local Native Americans as

bitterroot Bitterroot (''Lewisia rediviva'') is a small perennial herb in the family Montiaceae. Its specific epithet ("revived, reborn") refers to its ability to regenerate from dry and seemingly dead roots. The genus '' Lewisia'' was moved in 2009 from ...

. Lewis discovered the specimen in 1806 at Lolo Creek, in the mountain range that became known as the

Bitterroot Mountains The Northern and Central Bitterroot Range, collectively the Bitterroot Mountains ( Salish: čkʷlkʷqin), is the largest portion of the Bitterroot Range, part of the Rocky Mountains and Idaho Batholith, located in the panhandle of Idaho and w ...

. The plant was given its scientific name, ''Lewisia rediviva'', by

Frederick Traugott Pursh Frederick Traugott Pursh (or Friedrich Traugott Pursch) (February 4, 1774 – July 11, 1820) was a German people, German–United States, American botanist. Born in Großenhain, in the Electorate of Saxony, under the name Friedrich Traugott Pursh, ...

List of species

There are nineteen species and several varieties of ''Lewisia'', including:Unless otherwise sourced all items in this list use: * ''

Lewisia brachycalyx ''Lewisia brachycalyx'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae, known by the common name short-sepal bitter-root or shortsepal lewisia. It is native to the mountains of the southwestern United States and Baja California, where i ...

Engelm. George Engelmann, also known as Georg Engelmann, (2 February 1809 – 4 February 1884) was a German-American botanist. He was instrumental in describing the flora (plants), flora of the west of North America, then very poorly known to Europeans; ...

ex A.Gray: United States (

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

), Mexico (

Baja California Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of B ...

) * ''

Lewisia cantelovii ''Lewisia cantelovii'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common name Cantelow's lewisia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the northeastern mountain ranges from the Klamath Mountains ...

'' J.T.Howell: USA (California,

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

) * ''

Lewisia columbiana ''Lewisia columbiana'', the Columbian lewisia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae. It is native to the western United States and British Columbia, where it grows in rocky mountain habitats. Description This herbaceous pere ...

'' ( J.T.Howell ex A.Gray) B.L.Rob. ** ''Lewisia columbiana'' var. ''columbiana'': Canada (

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

), USA (

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

) ** ''Lewisia columbiana'' var. ''rupicola'' (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

) C.L.Hitchc.: Canada (British Columbia), USA (Washington, Oregon) ** ''Lewisia columbiana'' var. ''wallowensis'' C.L.Hitchc.: USA (

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

, Oregon) * '' Lewisia congdonii'' ( Rydb.) S.Clay: USA (California) * ''

Lewisia cotyledon ''Lewisia cotyledon'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common names Siskiyou lewisia and cliff maids. It is native to southern Oregon and northern California, where it grows in rocky subalpine mountain habitat ...

'' (

S.Watson Sereno Watson (December 1, 1826 – March 9, 1892) was an American botanist. Life Watson was born on December 1, 1826, in East Windsor Hill, Connecticut. Graduating from Yale in 1847 in biology, he drifted through various occupations unti ...

) B.L.Rob. ** ''Lewisia cotyledon'' var. ''cotyledon'': USA (Oregon, California) ** ''Lewisia cotyledon'' var. ''heckneri'' (

C.V.Morton Conrad Vernon Morton (24 October 1905 – 29 July 1972) was an American botanist, who did notable writings on ferns. He was also a specialist in Gesneriaceae and Solanaceae for the Smithsonian Institution from 1928. In 1938, botanists Standl. & St ...

)

Munz Munz may refer to: People * Bernhard Münz (1856–1919), Austrian philosopher and librarian * Peter Munz (1921–2006), German-New Zealander philosopher and historian * Philip A. Munz (1892-1974), U.S. botanist, taxonomist and educator * Miecz ...

: USA (California) ** ''Lewisia cotyledon'' var. ''howellii'' (

) Jeps.: USA (Oregon, California) * '' Lewisia disepala'' Rydb.: USA (California) * '' Lewisia glandulosa'' ( Rydb.) Dempster : USA (California) * '' Lewisia kelloggii''

K.Brandegee Mary Katharine Brandegee (formerly Curran, Layne; October 28, 1844 – April 3, 1920) was an American botanist known for her comprehensive studies of flora in California. Life Brandegee was born Mary Katharine Layne in Tennessee on October 28, ...

** ''Lewisia kelloggii'' var. ''hutchinsonii'' Dempster: USA (California) ** ''Lewisia kelloggii'' var. ''kelloggii'': USA (California, Idaho) * '' Lewisia leeana'' (

Porter Porter may refer to: Companies * Porter Airlines, Canadian airline based in Toronto * Porter Chemical Company, a defunct U.S. toy manufacturer of chemistry sets * Porter Motor Company, defunct U.S. car manufacturer * H.K. Porter, Inc., a locom ...

) B.L.Rob.: USA (California, Oregon) * '' Lewisia longipetala'' (

Piper A piper is a musician, a player of the bagpipe. As a noun proper, Piper may also refer to: People * Piper (given name) * Piper (surname) Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Comics * Piper (Morlock), in the Marvel Universe * P ...

) S.Clay: USA (California) * '' Lewisia maguirei'' A.H.Holmgren: USA (Nevada) * '' Lewisia nevadensis'' ( A.Gray) B.L.Rob.: USA (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah,

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

) * '' Lewisia oppositifolia'' (

) B.L.Rob.: USA (Oregon, California) * '' Lewisia pygmaea'' ( A.Gray) B.L.Rob.: Canada (

Yukon Territory Yukon () is a territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s westernmost territory and the smallest ...

, British Columbia), USA (

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona) * ''

Pursh The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...

(

Bitterroot Bitterroot (''Lewisia rediviva'') is a small perennial herb in the family Montiaceae. Its specific epithet ("revived, reborn") refers to its ability to regenerate from dry and seemingly dead roots. The genus '' Lewisia'' was moved in 2009 from ...

; the state flower of

) ** ''Lewisia rediviva'' var. ''minor'' ( Rydb.)

: USA (California, Nevada, Utah) ** ''Lewisia rediviva'' var. ''rediviva'': Canada (British Columbia), USA (Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho,

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona) * ''

Lewisia sacajaweana ''Lewisia sacajaweana'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common name Sacajawea's bitterroot. It is endemic to Idaho, where it is known from approximately two dozen sites, with about 75 percent of them in Boise ...

'' B.L.Wilson: USA (Idaho) * '' Lewisia serrata'' Heckard & Stebbins : USA (California) * '' Lewisia stebbinsii'' Gankin & W.R.Hildreth: USA (California) * ''

Lewisia ×whiteae ''Lewisia'' is a plant genus, named for the American explorer Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) who encountered the species in 1806. The native habitat of ''Lewisia'' species is rocky ground and cliffs in western North America. Native Americans ate t ...

'' Purdy: USA (Oregon) – hybrid of ''Lewisia leeana'' and ''Lewisia cotyledon''

Formerly placed here

* '' Erocallis triphylla'' (as ''Lewisia triphylla'' )

Distribution and habitat

Lewisias are naturally found in western parts of

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. In their native habitat of north-facing cliffs, lewisias are subject to extremes in weather conditions.

Uses

All species of ''Lewisia'' are edible. ''Lewisia rediviva'' has a large edible root and as a result became a food source for Native Americans. The root is peeled before boiling or steaming; cooking the root reduces its bitterness. ''L. rediviva'' has also been used for medicinal purposes; chewing the root was used to relieve a sore throat and has also been used to promote milk flow during

lactation Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process naturally occurs with all sexually mature female mammals, although it may predate mammals. The process ...

. For gardening, ''Lewisia'' species are usually planted in

rockeries A rock garden, also known as a rockery and formerly as a rockwork, is a garden, or more often a part of a garden, with a landscaping framework of rocks, stones, and gravel, with planting appropriate to this setting. Usually these are small A ...

, because this mimics their natural habitat. Rockeries also provide the free drainage that lewisias need to prevent their roots rotting. They may also be planted in pots, though they need to be well drained and protected from sustained wet weather.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q879036 Caryophyllales genera Edible plants