Bare-stem Desert Parsley, Barestem Biscuitroot, Indian-consumption-plant, Pestle Parsnip: Lomatium nudicaule (Synonyms: Cogswellia nudicaulis, Lomatium platyphyllum)

Bare-stem desert parsley is a fairly easy to identify desert parsley (at least in the Pacific Northwest) due to the erect, solitary to several hollow stems which inflate or increase greatly in diameter directly beneath the inflorescence. The naked stems range from 20-90 cm high and are generally both glabrous and blue-glaucous. The firm leaves are found only near the base and are ternately or ternate-pinnately 1-3 times compound with 3-30 veiny, often petiolate lanceolate to ovate leaflets from 2-9 cm long and 1-6 cm wide. The leaflet margins may be entire or may be toothed at the tips.

The inflorescence is an umbel of numerous small umbelets which are usually widely spaced when in flower. The stems which hold the umbelets in the umbel extend unequally from 6-20 cm. The flowers are yellow. The fruit is 7-15 mm long, oblong to elliptic in shape, narrowing to a short beaklike tip. The wings of the fruit are up to one-half as wide as the body.

Bare-stem desert parsley maybe found from the lowlands to moderate elevations in the mountains on dry, open or sparsely wooded places, and is often mixed with sagebrush or ponderosa pine.

Bare-stem desert parsley may be found from southern British Columbia south along both sides of the Cascade Mts. through Washington and Oregon to central California and east to southwestern Alberta, western and southern Idaho, and western Utah.

In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations of 100'-2500' from near Hamilton Mt. in the west and eastward past Biggs, OR.

Bare-stem desert parsley as seen at left in the Columbia Hills..........March 27, 2004. The photo at right shows barestem desert parsley blooming along the Dalles Mountain Road in the lower part of the Columbia Hills State Park..........April 12, 2014.

Barestem desert parsley observed with mature fruits along trails at Memaloose (south of Highway 30, east of Marsh Cutoff Road), Columbia River Gorge......October 16, 2020.

The photo at left shows bare-stem desert parsley as seen in the Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve..........May 10, 2009. Occasionally, one can find masses of barestem desert parsley growing together. Photo from vernally moist prairie between Rowena and Memaloose (Dell and Marsh Cutoff Roads), Columbia River Gorge.....April 17, 2022.

Bare-stem desert parsley blooming at left on scabland slopes above the Crawford Oaks trailhead, Columbia Hills State Park..........March 3, 2015. The photo at right shows early leaves of barestem desert parsley as seen on slopes above the east side of the Deschutes River, Deschutes River State Recreation Area.....January 29, 2021.

Mature fruits of bare-stem desert parsley as seen at left in the northwest corner of the Columbia Hills State Park.........October 15, 2015. The photo at right shows the characteristic inflated base of the inflorescence of bare-stem desert parsley as seen at the Deschutes River State Recreation Area......January 16, 2023.

A bare-stem desert parsley with its upper stem beginning to enlarge as seenat left along US 97 about 2 miles west of Brooks Memorial State Park...........May 17, 2014. The photo at right shows a mass of bare-stem desert parsley growing in an area that had previously been heavily grazed but has not been grazed for several decades. This species seems to spread quicker after disturbance than many other natives. Photo from forest service lands between Marsh Cutoff Road and Dell Road, Columbia River National Scenic Area......April 28, 2023.

Bare-stem desert parsley blooming (left) in the northwest corner of the Columbia Hills State Park..........April 16, 2015. Bare-stem desert parsley barely beginning to bloom on vernally moist grassy slopes east of Eightmile Creek and above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead, Columbia Hills State Park........February 23, 2016.

Barestem desert parsley in bloom on open slopes above the Crawford Oaks Trailhead at Columbia Hills Historical State Park......March 24, 2022.

Barestem desert parsley beginning to bloom along the service road up to the crest of the Columbia Hills, Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve......April 5, 2023.