Balsamorhiza deltoidea

Balsamorhiza deltoidea is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower tribe of the plant family Asteraceae known by the common name deltoid balsamroot. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows in many types of generally mountainous habitat.[2][3]

Balsamorhiza deltoidea
disc florets and ray florets
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Balsamorhiza
Species:
B. deltoidea
Binomial name
Balsamorhiza deltoidea
Synonyms[1]

Balsamorhiza glabrescens Benth.

Description

Balsamorhiza deltoidea is a taprooted perennial herb growing erect to a maximum height near 90 centimeters (35 inches). The stems are hairy and glandular. The large leaves are up to 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) long and 20 cm (7.9 in) wide, and are roughly triangular in shape, hairy and glandular, and often toothed along the edges.[4]

The inflorescence bears usually one or sometimes a few large flower heads, each lined with hairy, pointed phyllaries up to 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) long. The head has a center of yellowish disc florets and a fringe of pointed yellow ray florets each up to 4 or 5 centimeters (1.6 or 2.0 inches) long. The fruit is an achene 7 to 8 millimeters (0.28 to 0.31 inches) in length.[4]

Uses

Deltoid balsamroot has been used as a food and medicinal plant by Native Americans. The seeds were eaten raw or cooked, and sometimes ground up and made into breads or cakes. The roots were also eaten, either raw or cooked, and when roasted make a coffee substitute. Young shoots were also eaten as a fresh green. The roots were also used to treat colds.[5]

References
  1. "Balsamorhiza deltoidea Nutt.". The Global Compositae Checklist (GCC) – via The Plant List.
  2. "Balsamorhiza deltoidea". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014.
  3. "Balsamorhiza deltoidea". Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals, including the Consortium of California Herbaria. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database – via www.calflora.org.
  4. Weber, William A. (2006). "Balsamorhiza deltoidea". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). 21. New York and Oxford – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  5. "Balsamorhiza deltoidea". Plants for a Future.


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