Parish's Biscuitroot, Parish's Lomatium
Lomatium nevadense var. parishii
Color: White to cream
Common name: Parish's biscuitroot, Parish's lomatium
Latin name: Lomatium nevadense var. parishii
Family: APIACEAE
Height: 4-18 inches
Description: Short to nonexistent stem rising from a slender taproot. The entire cluster of flowers and associated parts is finely hairy.
Leaf: There are 1–2 feather-like, deeply, often sharply cut, but not compound, greyish-green basal leaves with segments generally <3 mm.
Range: Desert Mountains, c&s High Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, Great Basin Floristic Province
Habitat: Sagebrush, desert scrub, pine woodland
Elevation: 1000–3000 m.
Flowering time: Apr–Jul
Notes: Lomatium species roots were used by Native Americans as a food source such as the Northern Paiute. The roots were peeled and eaten like radishes or roasted in pits lined with cattails. Lomatium nevadense var. parishii, a dicot, is a perennial herb that is native to California. Photographed Apr 25, 2005 in Big Bear Lake, Pebble Plain, Baldwin Lake Reserve nature trail San Bernardino County, California.
We have an online wildflower field guide that is designed to help you identify desert wildflowers by color, scientific name, region and common name. The pictures are sized to work on the iPod, iPhone, iPad and similar devices. With your iPod or phone you will easily be able to identify wildflowers while in the desert. Links for downloads are on the bottom of the Wildflower Field Guide page.
Photo tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function - usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography.
Mojave Desert Wildflowers - This book is the standard by which all other wildflower books are measured. The author, Jon Mark Stewart, has combined super photography with concise information. This book has an entire color page for each wildflower covered, with a discussion of the wildflower. 210 pages with 200 color photos. More...
What's Blooming Now - Check the Wildflower Reports
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