''Lomatium californicum'' is a species of plant related to the

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nat ...

and the

parsnip The parsnip (''Pastinaca sativa'') is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, all belonging to the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual. Its long taproot has cream-colored skin an ...

which is known by the common names California rock parsnip, celery weed, and California lomatium. This plant is native to

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

and

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

.USDA: ''Lomatium californicum''
/ref> It is found on mountains and hills, at elevations of .Jepson: ''Lomatium californicum''
/ref>

Description

''Lomatium californicum'' grows to . It has coarsely toothed to lobed blue-green leaves. They resemble those of common

celery Celery (''Apium graveolens'') is a marshland plant in the family Apiaceae that has been cultivated as a vegetable since antiquity. Celery has a long fibrous stalk tapering into leaves. Depending on location and cultivar, either its stalks, lea ...

in both appearance and taste. The yellow flowers are in broad

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

s of in diameter.

Uses

It is a traditional Native American food source and

medicinal plant Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since prehistoric times. Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for various functions, including Plant defense against her ...

, with various parts of the plant used, including by the

Kawaiisu The Kawaiisu (pronounced: ″ka-wai-ah-soo″) are a Native Californian ethnic group in the United States who live in the Tehachapi Valley and to the north across the Tehachapi Pass in the southern Sierra Nevada, toward Lake Isabella and Walker P ...

, Yuki, and

Yurok people The Yurok (Karuk language: Yurúkvaarar / Yuru Kyara - "downriver Indian; i.e. Yurok Indian") are an Indigenous people from along the Klamath River and Pacific coast, whose homelands are located in present-day California stretching from Trinida ...

s.University of Michigan at Dearborn: Native American Ethnobotany of ''Lomatium californicum''
/ref> The Yuki chewed it while hunting to prevent deer from detecting human scents. The Chumash called it ''chuchupaste'' (lit. ''plant of great virtue'') and used it to cure headaches and stomach pain.

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Lomatium californicum'' (California lomatium, celery weed)Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Lomatium californicum''USDA Plants Profile for ''Lomatium californicum'' (California lomatium)UC Photos gallery — ''Lomatium californicum''
californicum Flora of California Flora of Oregon Flora of the Klamath Mountains Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the Transverse Ranges Endemic flora of the United States Plants used in Native American cuisine Pre-Columbian California cuisine Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Taxa named by Lincoln Constance Taxa named by Mildred Esther Mathias Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Apiaceae-stub