Claytonia lanceolata

Claytonia lanceolata is a species of wildflower in the family Montiaceae, known by the common names lanceleaf springbeauty and western springbeauty.

Claytonia lanceolata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Montiaceae
Genus: Claytonia
Species:
C. lanceolata
Binomial name
Claytonia lanceolata

Ecology

This plant is native to western North America as far south as New Mexico where it grows in foothills up to alpine slopes. It thrives in the rocky soil of alpine climates where the snow never melts. It is a perennial herb growing from a tuber one to three centimeters wide. It produces a short, erect stem reaching a maximum height of 15 centimeters. At its smallest the plant bears only its first two rounded leaves before flowering and dying back. Its thick leaves are helpful for storing water. If it continues to grow it produces thick, lance-shaped leaves further up the stem. The star-shaped flowers come in inflorescences of three to 15 blooms and they are white or pink, often with veiny stripes and yellow blotches near the base of each petal. The fruit is a small capsule containing 2 seeds, which are black and shiny.

The species is considered somewhat rare.[1]

The genus Claytonia was moved in 2009 from the purslane family (Portulacaceae) with adoption of the APG III system, which established the family Montiaceae.

Uses

The potato-like corm from which the plant grows is edible.[2]

Native Americans ate the roots and pods, which can be cooked and eaten like potatoes.[3] The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.[4]

The Okanogan-Colville, Okanogan, and Thompson Native American peoples used the tuber of this plant for food and for animal fodder.

References
  1. Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC 244766414.
  2. Fagan, Damian (2019). Wildflowers of Oregon: A Field Guide to Over 400 Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs of the Coast, Cascades, and High Desert. Guilford, CT: FalconGuides. p. 62. ISBN 1-4930-3633-5. OCLC 1073035766.
  3. Reiner, Ralph E. (1969). Introducing the Flowering Beauty of Glacier National Park and the Majestic High Rockies. Glacier Park, Inc. p. 24.
  4. Nyerges, Christopher (2017). Foraging Washington: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods. Guilford, CT: Falcon Guides. ISBN 978-1-4930-2534-3. OCLC 965922681.


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