''Lewisia'' is a plant
genus, 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 north facing cliffs in
western North America. Local
Native Americans ate the roots, which have also been used to treat sore throats.
Characteristics
Lewisias are
perennial flowering plants
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to western North American habitats including rocky outcrops from the high elevation alpine to lower elevation
chaparral
Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant community and geographical feature found primarily in the U.S. state of California, in southern Oregon, and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranean c ...
, 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, 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 fro ...
''. ''Lewisia longipetala'' is the only
semi-deciduous species. Some species, such as ''Lewisia cotyledon'', are
evergreen.
Taxonomy
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 ...
, 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 Radiohead ...
fame, is credited with the first discovery by a European or American of ''Lewisia'', which was known to the local
Native Americans as
bitterroot. Lewis discovered the specimen in 1806 at Lolo Creek, in the mountain range that became known as the
Bitterroot Mountains.
The plant was given its scientific name, ''Lewisia rediviva'', by
Frederick 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
Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His '' Darwiniana'' was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually exc ...
: United States (
California,
Arizona,
Utah), Mexico (
Baja California)
* ''
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)
* ''
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
Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His '' Darwiniana'' was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually exc ...
)
B.L.Rob.
** ''Lewisia columbiana'' var. ''columbiana'': Canada (
British Columbia), USA (
Washington,
Oregon)
** ''Lewisia columbiana'' var. ''rupicola'' (
English)
C.L.Hitchc.: Canada (British Columbia), USA (Washington, Oregon)
** ''Lewisia columbiana'' var. ''wallowensis''
C.L.Hitchc.: USA (
Idaho,
Montana, Oregon)
* ''
Lewisia congdonii
''Lewisia congdonii'', known by the common name Congdon's lewisia, is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae.
Description
''Lewisia congdonii'' is a perennial herb growing from a short, thick taproot and caudex unit. It prod ...
'' (
Rydb.)
S.Clay: USA (California)
* ''
Lewisia cotyledon'' (
S.Watson)
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. & ...
)
Munz: USA (California)
** ''Lewisia cotyledon'' var. ''howellii'' (
S.Watson)
Jeps.: USA (Oregon, California)
* ''
Lewisia disepala''
Rydb.: USA (California)
* ''
Lewisia glandulosa
''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 north facing cliffs in western North America. Local Native Americans ate ...
'' (
Rydb.)
Dempster : USA (California)
* ''
Lewisia kelloggii
''Lewisia kelloggii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common name Kellogg's lewisia. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it is known from several sites high in the mountains. It grows in r ...
''
K.Brandegee
Mary Katharine "Kate" Brandegee (October 28, 1844 – April 3, 1920) was an American Botany, botanist known for her comprehensive studies of flora in California.
Life
Brandegee was born Mary Katharine Layne on October 28, 1844. She was the secon ...
** ''Lewisia kelloggii'' var. ''hutchinsonii''
Dempster: USA (California)
** ''Lewisia kelloggii'' var. ''kelloggii'': USA (California, Idaho)
* ''
Lewisia leeana'' (
Porter)
B.L.Rob.: USA (California, Oregon)
* ''
Lewisia longipetala'' (
Piper)
S.Clay: USA (California)
* ''
Lewisia maguirei''
A.H.Holmgren: USA (Nevada)
* ''
Lewisia nevadensis'' (
A.Gray
Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His '' Darwiniana'' was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually exc ...
)
B.L.Rob.: USA (Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah,
Colorado,
New Mexico)
* ''
Lewisia oppositifolia'' (
S.Watson)
B.L.Rob.: USA (Oregon, California)
* ''
Lewisia pygmaea
''Lewisia pygmaea'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common name alpine lewisia and pygmy bitterroot. It is native to western North America from Alaska and Alberta to California and New Mexico, where it grows ...
'' (
A.Gray
Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His '' Darwiniana'' was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually exc ...
)
B.L.Rob.: Canada (
Yukon Territory, British Columbia), USA (
Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona)
* ''
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 fro ...
''
Pursh (
Bitterroot; the state flower of
Montana)
** ''Lewisia rediviva'' var. ''minor'' (
Rydb.)
Munz: USA (California, Nevada, Utah)
** ''Lewisia rediviva'' var. ''rediviva'': Canada (British Columbia), USA (Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
Wyoming, 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
''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 north facing cliffs in western North America. Local Native Americans ate ...
''
Heckard &
Stebbins : USA (California)
* ''
Lewisia stebbinsii
''Lewisia stebbinsii'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common name Stebbins' lewisia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from less than fifteen sites in the Inner North Coast Ranges of Mendo ...
''
Gankin &
W.R.Hildreth: USA (California)
* ''
Lewisia triphylla
''Erocallis triphylla'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common name threeleaf lewisia. It is the sole species in genus ''Erocallis''.
It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California ...
'' (
S.Watson)
B.L.Rob.: Canada (British Columbia), USA (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona)
* ''
Lewisia ×whiteae''
Purdy Purdy may refer to:
People Surname
*Al Purdy (1918–2000), Canadian poet
*Amy Purdy (born 1979), American actress, model and Paralympic snowboarder
* Ashley Purdy, Black Veil Brides bassist
* Bill Purdy (born 1946), American rower
* Brock Purdy ( ...
: USA (Oregon) – hybrid of ''Lewisia leeana'' and ''Lewisia cotyledon''
Distribution and habitat
Lewisias are naturally found in
western parts of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
. 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 local 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. It has also been used to promote milk flow during
lactation.
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 Rock (geology), rocks, stones, and gravel, with planting appropriate to this setting. Usually t ...
, 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
*
*
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q879036
Caryophyllales genera
Edible plants