Desert Parsley

Lomatium dissectum

Family: Apiaceae (Carrot family)

Other Common Names: Carrotleaf Biscuitroot, Chocolate-tips, Cough Root, Fernleaf Biscuitroot, Fernleaf Lomatium, Lepotaenia, Leptotaenia, Lomatium dissectum

Flowers: umbels compound; flowers purple to maroon, less often yellow; inflorescence glabrous

Fruit: fruits sessile or on very short peduncles, with corky thickened narrow wings, oblong-ovate to elliptic, glabrous

Leaves: most of the leaves are basal, cauline leaves few; foliage generally more or less scaberulous, finely ternate-pinnately dissected; petiole 3 to 30 cm; blade 15 to 35 cm wide, triangular-ovate

Plant: perennial; robust plants, generally 50 to 150 cm tall; several stems to many per plant. Traditionally the roots were split, dried and used for food by the Okanagan and Thompson. The dried root was also pulverized and applied to burns and wounds by the Thompson.

Habitat: open, often rocky slopes and dry meadows, lowlands to mid elevations

Distribution of species: chiefly west of the eastern base of the Cascades, British Columbia to northern California and in northern Idaho

Distribution of genus: more or less 75 species: central and southern North America

Range: Western N. America - southwards from Alberta and British Columbia.

Habitat: Open, often rocky slopes and dry meadows, often on talus.

Fernleaf biscuitroot was widely employed medicinally by many native North American Indian tribes who considered it to be a universal panacea and used it especially in treating chest problems and skin complaints. This is an important native American Pacific Northwest anti-viral herb. Works where other anti-virals fall short. Fresh root (alcoholic) extract is best mode of administration. Lomatium was used, particularly in the southwestern United States, during the influenza pandemic of 1917 with reportedly good results. Although it is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism, but probably warrants investigation.

The whole plant, but especially the root, is disinfectant, pectoral, salve, stomachic and tonic.

The dried root was used in the treatment of rheumatism, stomach complaints, coughs, colds, hay fever, bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis. The root was burnt and the smoke inhaled in the treatment of asthma and other chest complaints, it was also used as a herbal steam bath for treating chest complaints. The root was used to make a drink that was taken as a tonic to help people in a weakened condition gain weight. A poultice of the peeled and crushed roots has been applied to open cuts, sores, boils, bruises and rheumatic joints. The root has been soaked in water and then used as an antidandruff wash for the hair.

An infusion of the leaves and stems has been used as a tonic.

The root oil has been applied as a salve to sores and also used as an eye wash in the treatment of trachoma.

Root - cooked. Resinous and balsamic. The root can be dried and ground into a powder and then be mixed with cereal flours or added as a flavoring to soups etc. The roots have been boiled to make a refreshing and nutritious drink.

The pulverized root has been burnt as an incense.