Lomatium dissectum is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common names fernleaf biscuitroot, fernleaf desert parsley, carrotleaf biscuitroot, chocolate tips and coastal chocolate-tips

Description

It is a perennial herb reaching up to 1.2 m tall, growing from a thick taproot. The leaves are mostly attached near the base of the plant, spreading with petioles up to 30 cm long and large blades divided into many small, narrow segments. The inflorescence is an umbel of many small yellow, purple, or reddish flowers, each cluster on a leafless stem up to 10 cm long. The fruits resemble pumpkin seeds. Screening tests have been performed on root extracts of L. dissectum to assess its activity against viruses and bacteria.

Distribution and range

Lomatium dissectum is native to much of western North America, where it grows in varied habitat. It is found in coastal areas west of the Cascade Range (var. dissectum), the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range, Rocky Mountains, Klamath Mountains, eastern Transverse Ranges and the Sierra Nevada in California.

Taxonomy

There are two varieties recognized, which have been treated as separate species (L. multifidum and L. dissectum) and as varieties of single species (L. dissectum var. multifidum and L. dissectum var. dissectum). In regions where both taxa co-occur, L. dissectum is still in flower when L. multifidum is producing fruit. Lomatium dissectum var. dissectum is considered imperilled in Canada, occurring in 20 or fewer extant locations.