[Biscuitroots and Desert Parsleys: The Genus Lomatium East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium

Lomatium geyeri

Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum

Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

The photo above shows Geyer's desert parsley as seen in sagebrush lands in the Quilomene Wildlife Area to the west of Vantage, WA..........March 29, 2007.

Inflorescence of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)The photo at shows a close-up of the inflorescence of Geyer's desert parsley as seen on a Missoula Flood sandbar along the Little Spokane River near the Spokane Country Club..........April 20, 2002.
Characteristics:

Geyer's desert parsley is a glabrous perennial wildflower with one to several erect to ascending flower scapes from 15-55 cm tall arising from an almost spherical root up to 2 cm thick or an elongated, cylindrical root that is constricted at regular intervals. The one to several leaves are all attached to the stem at or below the ground. The blades are 4-14 cm long and ternately divided and then divided pinnately one or two times. The narrow, linear segments are 3-30 mm long and 1-2 mm wide. The flower scapes are longer than the leaves.

The inflorescence is an umbel with 7-18 unequal rays from 3-67 mm long. The bracts at the base of the umbellets are narrowly lanceolate or linear and most typically from 2-3 mm long. The pedicels are up to 4-5 mm long in fruit. The flowers are white with purplish anthers (See photo at right.). The glabrous fruits are ovate in shape with wings from 1-1.5 mm wide. The fruits measure from 7-13 mm long.


Similar Species:

Geyer's Desert Parsley: Lomatium geyeri - Plants from 15-40 cm tall at maturity. The glabrous fruits are 7-12 mm long and the bracts of the umbellets are 2-3 mm long.

Salt and Pepper, Gorman's Desert Parsley: Lomatium gormanii - Plants up to 15 cm tall. Fruits minutely pubescent. The minutely pubescent fruits are 5-7 mm long and the bracts of the umbellets are typically less than 2 mm long.

Salt and Pepper, Piper's Desert Parsley: Lomatium piperi - Plants up to 15 cm tall.The glabrous fruits are 5-7 mm long with the bracts of the umbellets typically less than 2 mm long.


Habitat:

Geyer's desert parsley may be found on open slopes and flats and in open woods from the lowlands and foothills to moderate elevations in the mountains.


Range:

Geyer's desert parsley may be found east of the Cascade Mts. from southern British Columbia south to Kititas County, Washington and east through Lincoln and Spokane Counties in Washington to Kootenai County in Idaho.


Leaf of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Inflorescence of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

Geyer's desert parsley as seen along the trail to Lookout Mountain, Okanogan National Forest...............June 10, 2011.

Inflorescence of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Involucel bracts of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)
Close-up photos showing a view of the upper and lower surfaces of the inflorescence of Geyer's desert parsley as seen at Quilomene Wildlife Area to the west of Vantage, WA..........March 29, 2007. Note the bracts under each umbellet. These are about twice as long as those found under the umbellets of the similar Lomatium gormanii or Lomatium piperi.

Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

Geyer's desert parsley as seen in Cowiche Canyon, to the west of Yakima WA.........March 28, 2007.

Leaf segments of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Maturing fruits of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Fruits of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Maturing fruits of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

Geyer's desert parsley observed in open woods at Wenas Campground, Yakima County, WA......May 28, 2022.

Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Leaf of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

The photo above shows a close-up of the inflorescence of Geyer's desert parsley as seen in Cowiche Canyon, to the west of Yakima WA..........March 28, 2007.

Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum) - Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

Geyer's desert parsley blooming at left at the edge of a ponderosa pine-douglas fir forest on a prehistoric Bretz Flood sandbar near the Spokane Country Club, Spokane, Washington...........April 27, 2013. The photo at right shows the developing fruits of Geyer's desert parsley as seen at the same location as the previous photo, but on May 7, 2019..

Leaf of Geyer's Biscuitroot, Geyer's Desert Parsley, Geyer's Lomatium: Lomatium geyeri (Synonyms: Orogenia fusiformis var. leibergii, Orogenia leibergii, Peucedanum evittatum)

The photo above shows a leaf of Geyer's desert parsley as seen on a Missoula Flood sandbar along the Little Spokane River near the Spokane Country Club.........April 20, 2002.

Paul Slichter