Ligusticum grayi
Encyclopedia
Ligusticum grayi is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family
known by the common name Gray's licorice-root. It is native to the western United States from Montana
to California
, where it grows in moist mountainous habitat, such as meadows and forest floors. It is a carrotlike perennial herb growing from a taproot
to heights between 20 and 80 centimeters. The leaves are like those of its relatives, including celery
, each divided into several leaflets with pointed lobes. The inflorescence
is a compound umbel
of many small white flowers. The Atsugewi
utilized various parts of this plant for medicinal and other uses.
Apiaceae
The Apiaceae , commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants...
known by the common name Gray's licorice-root. It is native to the western United States from Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in moist mountainous habitat, such as meadows and forest floors. It is a carrotlike perennial herb growing from a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
to heights between 20 and 80 centimeters. The leaves are like those of its relatives, including celery
Celery
Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery or celeriac , depending on whether the petioles or roots are eaten: celery refers to the former and celeriac to the latter. Apium graveolens grows to 1 m tall...
, each divided into several leaflets with pointed lobes. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a compound umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
of many small white flowers. The Atsugewi
Atsugewi
The Atsugewi are Native Americans residing in what is now northern California, United States. Their traditional lands are near Mount Shasta, specifically the Pit River drainage on Burney, Hat, and Dixie Valley or Horse Creeks. They are closely related to the Achomawi and consisted of two groups...
utilized various parts of this plant for medicinal and other uses.