Lomatium repostum
Encyclopedia
Lomatium repostum is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the carrot family
known by the common name Napa biscuitroot, or Napa lomatium. It is endemic to California
, where it is known only from the northrthern California Coast Ranges surrounding the northern San Francisco Bay Area
. It often grows in plant communities on serpentine soil
s.
. There is generally no stem, the leaves and inflorescence
emerging at ground level. The leaf blades are made up of sharp-toothed oval leaflets each up to 6 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is an umbel
of yellowish-green to purplish flowers.
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 Napa biscuitroot, or Napa lomatium. It is endemic 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 is known only from the northrthern California Coast Ranges surrounding the northern San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. It often grows in plant communities on serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s.
Description
Lomatium repostum is a spreading perennial herb growing up to half a meter long from a slender taprootTaproot
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...
. There is generally no stem, the leaves and 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...
emerging at ground level. The leaf blades are made up of sharp-toothed oval leaflets each up to 6 centimeters long. 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 an 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 yellowish-green to purplish flowers.