Lomatium columbianum is a perennial herb of the family Apiaceae known by the common names purple leptotaenia and Columbia desert parsley. It is endemic to the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, mostly along the Columbia River east of the Cascades.[1]

Lomatium columbianum
In Mayer State Park, Oregon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Lomatium
Species:
L. columbianum
Binomial name
Lomatium columbianum
Math. & Const.

Description

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Lomatium columbianum is a bushy plant, up to 2 meters tall, with extensively divided stems and leaves with a glaucous, often blue-green, color. The flowers are purple and are held in clusters on thick fleshy stems that arise from the base of the plant.[2] The finely textured foliage is blue-green in color.[3] The erect stems arising from a 30 to 60 centimeters long thick, woody taproot. The stems are leafless in general, but one leaf on the stems are not uncommon. The leaves are from 15 to 30 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is an umbel with 10 to 20 rays, which can range from 10 to 12 centimeters in length at maturity. The petals are usually reddish-purple, but could also be yellow. The fruit is between 16 and 28 millimeters in length.[4]

Range and Habitat

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Lomatium columbianum is found in the lower Columbia River basin in Washington and Oregon. It grows in dry rocky soils in full sun.[2] It is found in basalt outcrops and shrub-steppe.[3] It can be found in elevations between 100' and 3700'.[4]

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References

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  1. ^ "Burke Herbarium Image Collection". biology.burke.washington.edu. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  2. ^ a b Hitchcock, C.L. and Cronquist, A. 2018. Flora of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd Edition, p. 651. University of Washington Press, Seattle.
  3. ^ a b "Western Native Plants". cwelwnp.usu.edu. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  4. ^ a b "Columbia Desert Parsley, Columbia Gorge Desert-parsley, Columbia Lomatium, Purple Leptotaenia, Purple Lomatium: Lomatium columbianum (Synonym: Leptotaenia purpurea)". science.halleyhosting.com. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
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