''Pediomelum'' is a genus of

legumes Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consu ...

known as Indian breadroots. These are glandular perennial plants with palmately-arranged leaves. They have a main erect stem with

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s of blue or purple flowers and produce hairy legume pods containing beanlike seeds. Some species have woody roots while others have starchy tuber-like roots which can be eaten like tuber vegetables such as

potato The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...

es or made into

flour Flour is a powder made by Mill (grinding), grinding raw grains, List of root vegetables, roots, beans, Nut (fruit), nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredie ...

. Indian breadroots are native to North America. Many species have

synonymy A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...

with genus ''

Psoralea ''Psoralea'' is a genus in the legume family (Fabaceae) with 111 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs native to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Kenya to South Africa. In South Africa they are commonly referred to as fountainbush (English ...

''. Selected species: *'' Pediomelum argophyllum'' - silverleaf Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum aromaticum'' - aromatic Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum californicum'' - California Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum canescens'' - buckroot *'' Pediomelum castoreum'' - beaver Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum cuspidatum'' - largebract Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum cyphocalyx'' - turniproot *'' Pediomelum digitatum'' - palmleaf Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum esculentum'' - large Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum humile'' - Rydberg's Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum hypogaeum'' - subterranean Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum latestipulatum'' - Texas Plains Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum linearifolium'' - narrowleaf Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum megalanthum'' - intermountain Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum mephiticum'' - skunktop *'' Pediomelum pariense'' - Paria River Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum pentaphyllum'' - small Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum reverchonii'' - rock Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum rhombifolium'' - gulf Indian breadroot *'' Pediomelum subacaule'' - Nashville breadroot *'' Pediomelum tenuiflorum'' - slimflower scurfpea

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants Profile
Psoraleeae Fabaceae genera Flora of Northern America {{Faboideae-stub