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

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium

Lomatium minus

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

The photo above shows John Day River lomatium as seen along Ramsey Canyon Rd south of Condon, OR.........April 8, 2007. Note the broken up basalt (or rock runnel) that this desert parsley is commonly associated with.
Characteristics:

This attractive desert parsley is a perennial with one to several erect stems from 10-30 cm high arising from a large, fleshy, horizontal or vertical root. The stems are often purplish and inflated above, either with a reduced leaf or often leafless. The herbage is glabrous and strongly glaucous. The attractive leaves are ternate-pinnately dissected into numerous small, crowded segments from 1-5 mm long.

The inflorescence is an umbel with 6-12 unequal stems supporting the smaller umbelets, these stems measuring from 2-6 cm long. The flowers are purplish. The fruits are chestnut-brown to reddish, narrowly elliptic-oblong with the lateral wings about 1 mm wide and thickened. The fruits measure from 12-16 mm long.

Habitat:

John Day River lomatium may be found on dry slopes and in dry drainage channels at lower altitudes. It is often found amongst broken basaltic rocks exposed amongst deeper soils.

Range:

John Day River lomatium may be found in the foothills along the northern edge of the Blue Mts. of Oregon, at least from Heppner, OR west to Condon, OR, and also between the John Day and Deschutes Rivers east of Maupin, OR and south of Shaniko, OR. Peck also states that it is found from the upper John Day Valley south to southern Malheur County in Oregon.

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus - John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus - John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus - Habitat of John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

John Day Valley desert parsley as seen in basalt rock runnels along Oregon Highway 218 between Antelope and Shaniko, Oregon........March 10, 2015.

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus - John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

The photo at left shows a good view of the leaf of John Day River lomatium as seen along Ramsey Canyon Rd south of Condon, OR.........April 8, 2007. The photo at right shows John Day Valley desert parsley beginning to bloom along US Highway 97 west of Shaniko, Oregon.........March 10, 2015.
Inflorescence of John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus - Inflorescence of John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus
The two photos above show close-ups of the flowers and young fruits of John Day River lomatium. Note the long, thin bracts beneath each of the umbellets. Photographed along Ramsey Canyon Road to the south of Condon, OR..........April 8, 2007.

Leaf segements of John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

The photo above shows a close-up of the leaf of John Day River lomatium as seen along Hanna-Arbuckle Rd east of Heppner, OR.........May 6, 2000.

Fruits of John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

The photo above show several ripening seed heads of the John Day River lomatium as seen along the upper stretches of Ramsey Canyon Road to the south of Condon, OR in north-central Oregon..........May 28, 2007.

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus going to fruit.

The photo above show several scapes with ripening seed heads of the John Day River lomatium as seen along the upper stretches of Ramsey Canyon Road to the south of Condon, OR in north-central Oregon..........May 28, 2007.

John Day Valley Desert Parsley, John Day River Lomatium: Lomatium minus

The photo above shows John Day River lomatium as seen along Hanna-Arbuckle Rd east of Heppner, OR......May 6, 2000. Note the broken up basalt that this desert parsley is commonly associated with.
Paul Slichter