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California Indian Potato (Lomatium fusiformis)

Description

Orogenia fusiformis is a species of flowering plants in the carrot family known by the common name California Indian potato. It is native to the western United States from California to Montana, where it grows in high mountains in rocky, gravelly habitat. It is a small perennial herb growing from a carrot-like tuber up to a centimeter wide. Leaves are located around the base of the plant, each with a blade made up of a few linear lobes a few centimeters in length. There is usually no stem but the inflorescence arises on a stemlike peduncle up to about 15 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a compound umbel bearing many tiny white flowers with dark anthers. The fruit is an ovoid body a few millimeters long lined with prominent longitudinal ribs.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Apiales

            • Family: Apiaceae

              • Genus: Lomatium