Camassia quamash

Camassia quamash subsp. maxima

The Edible Prairie lily ( Camassia quamash, Syn: Phalangium quamash Pursh ), also called quamash, is a plant that belongs to the genus prairie lily ( Camassia ) in the subfamily of the agave ( Agavoideae ).

Description

The Edible Prairie lily is a perennial herbaceous plant, reaching a growth rate of 20 to 80 cm. This Geophyt forms spherical onion than outlasting having a diameter between 1 and 5 cm. The usually less than ten leaves are keeled, sometimes dyed blue green and are in a basal rosette. They are 10-60 cm long and 4-20 mm wide.

Are formed racemose inflorescences. Most 10 to 35 (4 to 58) flowers are hermaphrodite, mostly zygomorphic or rarely radial symmetry and threefold. There are six equally protean bracts present, their colors vary between bright and very dark shades of blue; they are 12 to 35 mm and from 1.5 to 8 mm wide. There are six free stamens present. The anthers are usually yellow, sometimes bluish violet, purple or brown. Three carpels are fused into a superior ovaries. The style is filiform and the scar is three-lobed. The flowering period extends from May to July.

The egg-shaped fruit capsules dry during ripening not perfect, are light green to light brown, 6 to 19 mm long and contain 15 to 30 seeds. The blackish seeds are 2-4 mm in size.

Dissemination

The Edible Prairie lily is found in western North America. Its distribution area are the states of British Columbia and Alberta in Canada, as well as California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming in the United States. It grows in moist woods, meadows and shores and is found at altitudes 0-3300 meters.

Relevance to humans

The name quamash comes from the language of the Nez Perce and refers to the edible onion. These bulbs were collected from the Indians of the Northwest Coast and served the food. For this purpose, they were parched, roasted, steamed or boiled, as with the Cree and Blackfoot, but especially in the coastal Salish tribes. Dried they could be kept long and served as the winter stock. Onions may however also be eaten raw. On the Pacific coast Camassia quamash was an important commodity, especially the coastal Salish, which was brought and exchanged to California and Alaska. Dried and ground it also served as a binder for dough.

Rarely Edible prairie lily is also used as an ornamental plant for borders, rock gardens and natural gardens. It is in culture at least since 1826. There are some varieties (selection):

  • ' Orion ': The flowers are pure purple.
  • ' Blue Melody ': The flowers are blue, white colorful leaves.

Subspecies

There are eight subspecies:

  • Camassia quamash subsp. azurea ( A.Heller ) Gould
  • Camassia quamash subsp. breviflora Gould
  • Camassia quamash subsp. intermedia Gould
  • Camassia quamash subsp. linearis Gould
  • Camassia quamash subsp. maxima Gould: Grows on damp meadows, fields and rocky shores at altitudes 0-600 meters, British Columbia, Oregon and Washington.
  • Camassia quamash ( Pursh ) Greene subsp. quamash: Grows on moist meadows at altitudes 300-2500 m in Alberta, British Columbia; Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming.
  • Camassia quamash subsp. utahensis Gould
  • Camassia quamash subsp. walpolei ( Piper ) Gould

In Canada, there are only three subspecies: In British Columbia, only the subspecies Camassia quamash come subsp. quamash, Camassia quamash subsp. maxima and Camassia quamash subsp. azurea ago in Alberta only Camassia quamash subsp. quamash.

Swell

  • Entry in the Flora of North America. (English )
  • Eckhart J. Hunter, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd Müller, K. (ed.): Rothmaler Exkursionsflora of Germany. Volume 5: Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8.
Frederick Traugott Pursh Edward Lee Greene Perennial plant Ovary (botany) Washington (state) Nez Perce people Victoria (British Columbia)
159825
de