Bentonite biscuitroot, also known as bentonite lomatium, is a perennial species, acaulescent or very short-stemmed, with round thickened tubers (about 1-4 cm diameter) that abruptly taper to an elongated ( <10 cm long) slender upper portion. This diminutive plant can have an unbranched or 2-7 branched caudex, with fibrous remains of previous years’ leaf sheaths, and short 0.5-1 cm stems and 1-4 cm long pseudoscapes that are below ground surface and obscured by leaf sheaths. Herbage varies from lightly to densely hirsutulous (pubescent with very small, coarse, stiff hairs), with leaves 3-6 cm long and 2-5 cm wide, generally ovate in outline and tripinnately dissected. The 1-6 pubescent flowering stems can be decumbent or more erect and ascending, 3-10 cm long, though most are spreading on the ground at maturity alongside the short petiole (3-6 mm) leaves. Inflorescences remain fairly compact at maturity, with the 3-20 rays elongating unequally to 1-5 cm, but not becoming easily distinguishable from one another. No involucral bracts, but with 4-8 involucel bractlets that are linear to lanceolate and 2-5 x 0.3-1 mm, with scarious margins. Umbellets hold 10-20 white or purple flowers with purple anthers on pedicels 2-10 mm long. Fruits are sparsely puberulent, oval or suborbicular, 4-8 mm long and 2-3 mm wide.
Overview
- Species Common Name Bentonite biscuitroot
- Species Scientific Name Lomatium bentonitum
- Federal Listing Status Species of Concern
- State Listing Status Endangered
