Nineleaf biscuitroot

Description:

A hairy perennial herb in the carrot family that can grow to a meter tall. The leaves emerge from the lower part of the stem. Each is generally divided into three leaflets which are each subdivided into three linear leaflike segments. The inflorescence is an umbel of yellow flowers, each cluster on a ray up to 10 centimeters long.

Habitat:

Spotted in the Cascade mountain foothills. Open woodlands. Found in western North America.

Notes:

The name “biscuitroot” gives us a clue that the plants have starchy, edible taproots. Biscuitroots provided an important source of food and medicine to Native American tribes. The roots were cooked or dried and ground into flour, which could be shaped into cakes and stored for later use. Nineleaf biscuitroot flowers and leaves were used to flavor meats and stews by the Okanagan-Colville. Plants were used as food by the Yakama, and spring roots were eaten by tribes in Montana.