APIACEAE

CARROT FAMILY

Lincoln Constance

Annual, biennial, perennial herb (rarely shrub, tree), often from taproot
Stem often ± scapose, generally ribbed, hollow
Leaves basal and generally some cauline, generally alternate; stipules generally 0; petiole base generally sheathing stem; blade generally much dissected, sometimes compound
Inflorescence: umbel or head, simple or compound, generally peduncled; bracts present (in involucres) or not; bractlets generally present (in involucels)
Flowers many, small, generally bisexual (or some staminate), generally radial (or outer bilateral); calyx 0 or lobes 5, small, atop ovary; petals 5, free, generally ovate or spoon-shaped, generally incurved at tips, generally ± ephemeral; stamens 5; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 2-chambered, generally with a ± conic, persistent projection or platform on top subtending 2 free styles
Fruit: 2 dry, 1-seeded halves that separate from each other but generally remain attached for some time to a central axis; ribs on each half 5, 2 marginal and 3 on back; oil tubes 1–several per interval between ribs
Genera in family: 300 genera, 3,000 species: ± worldwide, especially temp; many cultivated for food or spice (e.g., Carum, caraway; Daucus; Petroselinum); some highly toxic (e.g., Conium). Underground structures here called roots, but true nature remains problematic. Mature fruit generally critical in identification; shapes generally given in outline, followed by shape in X -section of 2 fruit halves together.

LOMATIUM

Perennial from taproot or generally deep-seated tuber, glabrous to tomentose
Stem 0 or erect, simple or branched; base fibrous (from old leaf sheaths) or not
Leaf: blade oblong to triangular-ovate or obovate, ternately, pinnately, or ternate-pinnately dissected or compound, segments or leaflets thread-like to wide
Inflorescence: umbels compound, peduncled; bracts generally 0; bractlets generally present, 0 to conspicuous; rays, pedicels spreading to erect, often webbed at base
Flower: calyx lobes generally 0; petals wide, yellow, white, or purple, tips narrowed; projection atop ovary 0
Fruit linear to obovate, very compressed front-to-back; marginal ribs widely to narrowly thin or thick-winged, others thread-like; oil tubes per rib-interval 1–several; fruit axis divided to base
Seed: face flat to concave
Species in genus: ± 75 species: c&s North America
Etymology: (Greek: bordered, from prominent marginal fruit wing)
Reference: [Schlessman 1984 Syst Bot Monogr 4:1–55]
Fr wing width expressed as width of 1 wing, not both together.

Native

L. piperi J.M. Coult. & Rose

Plant 0.5–2.5 dm, glabrous to minutely scabrous; tuber 0.5–1 cm wide, spheric
Stem 0
Leaf: petiole 3.5–10 cm, sheathing basally; blade 1.5–5.5 cm wide, triangular-ovate, 2-ternate-pinnately or -ternately dissected, segments 2–40 mm, linear, acute to obtuse; cauline leaves 1–2, generally linear, entire
Inflorescence generally glabrous; terminal umbel 1, lateral generally 1–2; peduncle 2–8 cm; bractlets 2–6, 0.5–2.2 mm, < flowers, narrowly elliptic, acute; rays 3–10, generally 15–35 mm, spreading-ascending; pedicels 0.5–2.5 mm
Flower: corolla white; anthers purple
Fruit 4–9 mm, ovate; wings ± 1/2 body in width; oil tubes per rib-interval 1–8
Chromosomes: 2n=22
Ecology: Rocky slopes, sagebrush, pine woodland
Elevation: 1000–1500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, n High Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to c Oregon, Washington