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.
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.
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Geyer's desert parsley as seen along the trail to Lookout Mountain, Okanogan National Forest...............June 10, 2011.
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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.
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Geyer's desert parsley as seen in Cowiche Canyon, to the west of Yakima WA.........March 28, 2007.
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Geyer's desert parsley observed in open woods at Wenas Campground, Yakima County, WA......May 28, 2022.
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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.
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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..
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