Lomatium piperi
Indian biscuitroot
(c) James H. Thomas, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Lomatium piperi (Indian biscuitroot) is a native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by spheric tuber, white corolla, and purple anthers.
Indian biscuitroot is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in rocky slopes, sagebrush, and pine woodland at elevations of 1,000 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers with purple anthers in delicate umbels. Growing with a compact form reaching 5 to 25 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small spherical tuber and lacks a true stem. Its intricate leaves are finely dissected into narrow 2 to 40 millimeter segments, forming a triangular-ovate blade that is two-times ternately pinnate. The fruit is an ovate to oblong structure 5 to 9 millimeters long with wings approximately half the body width.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; distinguished by spheric tuber, white corolla, and purple anthers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, sagebrush, pine woodland
Elevation: 1000-1500 m
California counties: Modoc, Siskiyou, Lassen, Plumas
Outside California: to Washington
Bloom period
Lomatium piperi blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Tauschia: Lomatium fruits have prominent marginal wings; Tauschia fruits lack wings or have only slight ribs.; vs Sanicula: Lomatium has typical umbrella-shaped flower clusters; Sanicula has dense ball-like flower heads with hooked bristles.; vs Cymopterus: Lomatium grows upright with a stem; Cymopterus is stemless and grows flat to the ground.; vs Conium: Lomatium grows in dry natural habitats; Conium has purple-spotted stems and grows in moist disturbed areas.; vs Daucus: Lomatium fruits are flat with thin wings; Daucus fruits are cylindrical with spiny bristles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lomatium piperi native to California?
Yes. Lomatium piperi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lomatium piperi bloom?
Lomatium piperi blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Lomatium piperi grow?
Lomatium piperi occurs in Modoc, Siskiyou, Lassen, Plumas, at elevations of 1000-1500 m.
What plant family does Lomatium piperi belong to?
Lomatium piperi is in the Apiaceae family, genus Lomatium.
What habitat does Lomatium piperi grow in?
Lomatium piperi grows in Rocky slopes, sagebrush, pine woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.