W55 



BISCUITROOTS 



Cogswel'lia spp., syns. Loma'tium spp., Pence' danum spp. 



Biscuitroots are perennial herbs and constitute a large rather 

 variable genus of the carrot or parsnip family (Umbelliferae) , con- 

 sisting ox about 66 species aaid belonging to the drier regions of west- 

 ern North America. The plants are also known locally as hogfennel, 

 prairiefennel, whiskbroom-parsley, wildcarrot, wildparsley, and by 

 the generic name, Cogswellia. Moreover, certain species, such as 

 cous (C. dous and close allies), have individual names, and other 

 species with large, fleshy, edible roots are often called Indianroot. 



As a group the biscuitroots are perhaps the commonest and most 

 widely distributed of all umbelliferous plants on the western ranges. 

 They occur in all of the Western States but have a much smaller rep- 

 resentation in Arizona and New Mexico than elsewhere. Biscuitroots 

 are very common in most sections but are generally scattered and not 

 abundant in any one place. They occur from slightly above sea level 

 in the Columbia basin of the Northwest to elevations of about 10,000 

 feet in Utah and Wyoming. They grow in open or semi-open situa- 

 tions in the valleys .and on hillsides from the pifion- juniper and sage- 

 brush zones through the ponderosa pine and into the aspen belt. 

 Many of the biscuitroots thrive under full sunlight and on well- 

 drained soils, scablands, dry rocky mountain sides, open slopes, and 

 exposed ridges; others abound in wet or semiwet areas, such as flats 

 or depressions temporarily saturated by melting snows. Their com- 

 mon companions include sagebrush, wheatgrasses, arrowleaf bal- 

 samroot, bluegrasses, geraniums, lupines, mountain-dandelions, and 

 yarrow. 



These herbs are among the first plants to bloom in the spring. In 

 making their extremely early growth and development they utilize 

 the soil moisture left by melting snows. Except at the higher eleva- 

 tions, they mature their seeds and dry up by early summer. The 

 plants of this genus reproduce mostly from seed, but species having 

 tuberlike or bulblike roots also propagate vegetatively by means of 

 the "tubers" which break away from the parent plants. 



Because of their early growth and maturity, the biscuitroots are of 

 appreciable value for forage only on ranges which are grazed in the 

 spring and early summer. When at all abundant on such ranges, 

 many of these plants generally rate as valuable forage weeds. The 

 leaves, flowers, .and green seeds of most of the species are eaten readily 

 by sheep, and the leafage of several species is utilized even after dry- 

 ing. The palatability among the different species ranges from poor 

 to good for cattle but is usually poor for horses. Deer, elk, and aiite- 

 lope are known to relish several species of Cogswellia, and it is prob- 

 able that all the species are palatable to these game animals. 



Many biscuitroots were important food plants of the Indians. The 

 leafage of some species was eaten for greens, and the roots were used, 

 as a vegetable, eaten raw, baked, or roasted, or dried and ground into 

 flour for bread ; hence the name biscuitroot. Cous, above referred to, 

 also known as cousroot and biscuitroot, and some of its close relatives. 



