Bistorta bistortoides (American bistort, western bistort, smokeweed, mountain meadow knotweed, mountain buckwheat or mountain meadow buckwheat) is a perennial herb in the buckwheat and knotweed family Polygonaceae.
Bistorta bistortoides plants generally grow to NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) tall. Individuals growing above 2250m (7,380feet) are smaller, seldom reaching more than 30cm (10inches) in height.
The leaves are leathery and NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) long, being mostly basal on the stem. The dense cylindrical to oblong inflorescence is NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) long and packed with small white to pinkish flowers, each a few millimeters wide and with protruding stamens.[1]
The species name remains unresolved.
B. bistortoides is distributed throughout the Mountain West in North America from Alaska and British Columbia south into California and east into the Rocky Mountains.[2] [3]
The plant grows from foothills to above the timberline.
Rodents and bears consume the roots, and elk and deer browse the foliage.[4]
American bistort was an important food plant used by Native Americans living in the Mountain West, including Blackfoot and Cheyenne peoples. The roots are edible either raw or fire-roasted[5] with a flavor resembling chestnuts. The seeds can be dried and ground into flour and used to make bread. They were also roasted and eaten as a cracked grain.[6] [7] The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.
