[Biscuitroots and Desert Parsleys: The Genus Lomatium in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Nineleaf Desert Parsley, Nine-leaf Desert Parsley

Lomatium brevifolium

Synonyms: Lomatium simplex var. leptophyllum, Lomatium triternatum var. alatum, Lomatium triternatum var. macrocarpum, Lomatium triternatum ssp. triternatum, Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum

Nine-leaf desert parsley as seen at Catherine Creek with small-flowered prairiestar (Lithophragma parviflorum) and upland larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum)...........April 13, 2016. This is variety triternatum.

Nineleaf Desert Parsley, Nine-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium brevifolium (Synonyms: Lomatium simplex var. leptophyllum, Lomatium triternatum var. alatum, Lomatium triternatum var. macrocarpum, Lomatium triternatum ssp. triternatum, Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum)

The photo at right shows the narrow, linear leaflets of nine-leaf desert parsley (variety triternatum). The leaf blades of this species are generally bi-pinnately to tri-pinnately compound.

Characteristics:

Nine-leaf desert parsley is a perennial wildflower with one to a few erect stems arising from 20-80 cm high from a narrow, elongate taproot. The herbage is covered with fine, short hairs. The leaves are mostly basal, although some may be present at the middle or upper parts of the stems. The leaves are ternately or ternate-pinnately compound 2-3 times, and cleft into long, narrow segments or leaflets from 1-10 cm long.

The inflorescence is an umbel with 6-18 stems of unequal length supporting the umbelets, these stems measuring up to 3-6 cm long. The flowers are yellow. The fruits are oblong to broadly elliptic with narrow to broad wings, and measuring from 7-15 mm long. The bracts below the umbelets are filiform or are absent.

Varieties of Nine-leaf Desert Parsley Found in the Columbia River Gorge:

subspecies triternatum variety anomalum - Leaf segments wider and shorter, generally lance-ovate to narrowly obovate with obtuse or rounded tips.

subspecies triternatum variety triternatum - Leaf segments narrow and longer, generally linear or narrowly lanceolate with fairly acute tips.

Similar Species:

Nine-leaf desert parsley could be confused with slender-fruited desert parsley (L. leptocarpum). The latter species has roots that have elongated or beaded swellings while the former has thick roots which lack the swellings. The latter species is also often 4 times pinnately compound with shorter leaf segments, while the nine-leaf desert parsley is tri-pinnately compound with longer, leaf segments (with the exception of L. triternatum var. anomalum, which has shorter, broader segments).

Habitat:

Nine-leaf desert parsley may be found on open slopes and in dry to fairly moist soil in meadows from the lowlands to moderate elevations in the mountains.

Range:

Nine-leaf desert parsley may be found from southern British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon on both sides of the Cascade Mts. to California and east to southern Alberta, Montana, Colorado and Utah.

Additional photos of Lomatium brevifolium.

Nineleaf desert parsley as seen on Sevenmile Hill several miles northwest of The Dalles, Oregon.........March 8, 2015. This may be variety brevifolium rather than var. triternatum. I'd want to return and see the plant a couple weeks later in its bloom cycle.

Nine-leaf desert parsley blooming on scabland slopes above the Crawford Oaks trailhead, Columbia Hills State Park.........March 3, 2015.

Nine-leaf desert parsley blooming at left along the Memaloose Trail east of Mosier, OR.......March 20, 2018. The photo at right shows nine-leaf desert parsley beginning to bloom atop Castilleja Hill east of Mosier, OR......March 6, 2019.

The photo above shows a close-up of the leaves and umbel of nine-leaf desert parsley (var. triternatum) as seen along forest road 8290 at Bird Creek at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams...........July 1, 2005. Note that the leaf segments are long and wider than 2 mm on this species, which can help differentiate this species from slender-fruited desert parsely (Lomatium leptocarpum).

Paul Slichter