Lomatium californicum explained

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.[1]

This plant is native to California and Oregon.[2] It is found on mountains and hills, at elevations of NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet).[3]

Description

Lomatium californicum grows to 3dm12dm. It has coarsely toothed to lobed blue-green leaves. They resemble those of common celery in both appearance and taste.

The yellow flowers are in broad umbels of 1.5dm3dm in diameter.[3]

Uses

It is a traditional Native American food source and medicinal plant, with various parts of the plant used, including by the Kawaiisu, Yuki, and Yurok peoples.[4] The Yuki chewed it while hunting to prevent deer from detecting human scents.[4] The Chumash called it chuchupaste (lit. plant of great virtue) and used it to cure headaches and stomach pain.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=29682 ITIS Standard Report Page: Lomatium californicum
  2. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LOCA3 USDA: Lomatium californicum
  3. http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Lomatium+californicum Jepson: Lomatium californicum
  4. http://herb.umd.umich.edu/herb/search.pl?searchstring=Lomatium+californicum University of Michigan at Dearborn: Native American Ethnobotany of Lomatium californicum
  5. Book: Anderson , Kat . Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources . limited . . Berkeley . 2005 . 143 . 978-0520280434.