- Camassia quamash
Taxobox
name = Quamash
image_width = 225px
image_caption = Indian Camas ("Camassia quamash")
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Liliopsida
ordo =Asparagales
familia =Agavaceae
genus = "Camassia "
species = "C. quamash"
binomial = "Camassia quamash"
binomial_authority = (Pursh) GreeneQuamash ("Camassia quamash"), syn. "Camaridium leichtlinii"
var. "watsoni"M.E.Jones , "Camassia esculenta"Lindl ., "Camassia leichtlinii"var. "watsoni"M.E.Jones , "Phalangium esculentum"Nutt. , "Phalangium quamash"Pursh , "Quamasia quamash"Coville , also known as Small Camas, is a perennialherb in the family Agavaceae. It is one species of the genus "Camassia " and is native to westernNorth America in large areas of southernCanada and the northwesternUnited States , fromBritish Columbia andAlberta toCalifornia and east fromWashington state toMontana andWyoming .The pale blue to deep blue
flower s grow in araceme at the end of the stem. Each of the radially symmetrical, star-shaped flowers have 6 petals. The stems have a length between 30 cm and 90 cm. The leaves are basal and have a grass-like appearance.The name Quamash is a Nez Perce term for the plant's bulb [ [http://www.d.umn.edu/~ahartley/CAMAS_etymology.pdf Etymology (pdf-document)] ] , which was gathered and used as a food source by tribes in the
Pacific Northwest . The bulbs were harvested and pit-roasted or boiled by women of theNez Perce ,Cree , andBlackfoot tribes. It also provided a valuable food source for the members of theLewis and Clark expedition (1804-1806).Quamash is not just an edible plant, it is also grown as an
ornamental plant . Even in the wild, large numbers of quamash can color an entire meadow blue-violet.While quamash is edible and nutritious, it often grows with
Zygadenus species which are extremely poisonous and which have very similar bulbs, so it is very important to be sure of your identification.There are eight
subspecies :
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "azurea" – Small Camas
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "breviflora" – Small Camas
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "intermedia" – Small Camas
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "linearis" – Small Camas
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "maxima" – Small Camas
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "quamash" – Small Camas
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "utahensis" – Utah Small Camas
*"Camassia quamash" subsp. "walpolei" – Walpole's Small CamasNotes
External links
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101517 Flora of North America: "Camassia quamash"]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CAQU2 USDA Plants Profile: "Camassia quamash"]
* [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Camassia+quamash Plants For A Future: "Camassia quamash"]
* [http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/modzz/00000261.html Michigan State University Extension: "Camassia quamash"]
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