About Lomatium dissectum (Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray) Mathias & Constance
Lomatium dissectum (Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray) Mathias & Constance is a perennial herb that grows from a thick taproot, and reaches up to 1.2 meters (3 feet 11 inches) tall. Most of its leaves are attached near the base of the plant. These leaves spread with petioles up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) long, and have large blades divided into many small, narrow segments. Its inflorescence is an umbel made up of many small yellow, purple, or reddish flowers. Each flower cluster grows on a leafless stem that can be up to 10 centimeters long. The fruits of this species resemble pumpkin seeds. Screening tests have been done on root extracts of L. dissectum to assess the extracts' activity against viruses and bacteria. Lomatium dissectum is native to much of western North America, where it can grow in a variety of habitats. The variety dissectum can be found in coastal areas west of the Cascade Range. The species is also found on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range, in the Rocky Mountains, Klamath Mountains, eastern Transverse Ranges, and the Sierra Nevada in California.
