The
photo at right shows a side view of the umbel of Gray's lovage from Cheatem
Holler, Rds #31 & #37, Malheur N.F..........June 27, 2001.
Gray's lovage is an erect perennial with one to several stems arising 20-60 cm high. The herbage is glabrous and the leaves are mainly basal. The stems are often leafless or may have one or two much reduced leaves. The leaves are pinnately-compound with much dissected margins. The leaflets are up to 3 cm long and are toothed or cleft. The plants are aromatic.
The 1-3 umbels are found at the apex of the stem or arising from the base of the upper stem leaves. The 7-14 rays of the umbel range from 2-3.5 cm long at maturity. The fruit are elliptic-oblong in shape and range from 4-6 mm long. The ribs of the fruit are narrowly winged.
The roots were once pulverized and used as a fish poison. Some Native Americans cooked the young leaves.
Gray's lovage may be found on moist to dry slopes both in open meadows or on wooded slopes in the mountains.
Gray's lovage may be found from the Cascade Mts. of Washington south to the Sierra Nevada of California and east to the Blue Mts. of northeaster Oregon and Washington and into western Idaho and Nevada.
In the Columbia River Gorge, Gray's lovage may be found between the elevations of 3000'-4500' from from east of Crown Point to Mt. Defiance.
