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Camassia scilloides

Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification edit
: [[Template:Taxonomy/Camassia]]
Species:
Binomial name
Template:Taxonomy/CamassiaCamassia scilloides
Synonyms[1]

Camassia esculenta
(Ker Gawl.) B.L.Rob.(nom. illeg.)

Camassia scilloides is a perennial herb known commonly as Atlantic camas, wild hyacinth,[2] and eastern camas.[3] It is native to the eastern half of North America, including Ontario and the eastern United States.[3]

Description

The species produces inflorescences up to half a meter tall from a bulb 1–3 centimetres (0.39–1.18 in) wide.[4] It has a few leaves, each up to 20–60 cm (7.9–23.6 in) long.[4] The flowers have light blue or whitish tepals and yellow anthers. The green or brown capsule is up to a centimeter long[3] and divided into three parts.[4]

Uses

Native American groups used the bulbs for food, eating them raw, baked, roasted, boiled, or dried.[5] They can be used in place of potatoes, but could possibly be confused for poisonous deathcamas.[4]

Taxonomy

The superseded name Camassia esculenta (Ker Gawl.) B.L.Rob., (nom. illeg.)[6] should not be confused with Camassia esculenta (Nutt.) Lindl., a superseded name for Camassia quamash subsp. quamash.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Rhodora 10: 31 (1908)
  2. ↑ Camassia scilloides. NatureServe. 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Camassia scilloides. Flora of North America.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 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. 65. ISBN 978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC 244766414.
  5. ↑ Camassia scilloides. Native American Ethnobotany. University of Michigan, Dearborn.
  6. ↑ World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Camassia esculenta (Ker Gawl.) B.L.Rob.
  7. ↑ World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Camassia esculenta (Nutt.) Lindl.

External links