[Lovages and Licorice-roots: The Genus Ligusticum in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage

Ligusticum grayi

Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis

Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis) - Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis)

The photo at left shows Gray's lovage as seen along the Shorthorn Trail #16 in the Mt. Adams Wilderness..........August 24, 2008. The photo at right shows Gray's lovage still in bloom atWy'East Basin, Mount Hood Wilderness.....October 5, 2022.

Basal leaf of Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis) - Inflorescence of Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis)

The photo at left shows the leaf of Gray's lovage as seen along the Island Springs Trail #66 on the eastern slopes of Mt. Adams.........August 25, 2005. The photo at right shows a close-up of the inflorescence of Gray's lovage as seen between Junction Lake and Lemei Lake in the Indian Heaven Wilderness.........August 25, 2017.

Umbellet of flowers of Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis) - Umbel of Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis) - Close-up of the fruits of Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis)

Close-ups of the umbel and developing fruits of Gray's lovage as seen in wetland meadows along the Timberline Trail immediately south of the Mount Hood Meadows Ski Area........October 2, 2010.

Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis) - Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis)

What may be Gray's lovage as seen along the Pacific Crest Trail near Hobart Bluff, Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument......May 28, 2021. There's a slight possibility this could be Ligusticum californicum.

Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis) - Dorsal view of the umbel of Gray's Lovage, Gray's Licorice-root, Sheep Wild Lovage: Ligusticum grayi (Synonyms: Ligusticum apiifolium var. minus, Ligusticum caeruleomontanum, Ligusticum cusickii, Ligusticum purpureum, Ligusticum tenuifolium var. dissimilis, Pimpinella apidora var. nudicaulis)

Gray's lovage as seen at left in the floodplain of the South Fork Conrad Creek near a well-used user trail in the upper basin, Goat Rocks Wilderness.........July 24, 2016. The image at right shows a dorsal view down onto the inflorescence of Gray's lovage, High Prairie, Badger Creek Wilderness......August 18, 2024. Gray's lovage has 7-14 umbellets or mini-umbel clusters of tiny white flowers.

Paul Slichter