Biscuitroot, Beardtongue,
Buckwheat and Beyond
Ann DeBolt and Nancy L. Shaw
USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID
Greg H. Lowry
Idaho Crop Improvement Association
USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research Station
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and
Increase Project
Supported by:
USDI BLM Great Basin Restoration and
Native Plant Initiatives
Objective:
Increase seed supplies of native plant
species, particularly forbs, for the Great Basin
The Great Basin
BLM
75 million acres
FS
20 million acres
(Cronquist et al. 1972)
RMRS - Boise
Penstemon - BEARDTONGUE
• P. acuminatus – sand
• P. deustus – scabland
• P. speciosus – sagebrush
Lomatium - BISCUITROOT
• L. dissectum - fernleaf
• L. grayi - Gray’s
• L. triternatum – nineleaf
Eriogonum – BUCKWHEAT
• E. umbellatum – sulfur
Penstemon - BEARDTONGUE
• 3rd largest genus in Intermountain region (Scrophulariaceae)
• Approx. 250 species
• Showy tubular flowers
• 4 fertile stamens & 1 bearded stamen (“beardtongue”)
• Common forb in rangelands
• Insect pollinated, particularly bees
• Wildlife forage
Cultural Practices
• Cultivated for many years
• Generally easy to grow, harvest, and manage
• Seed production by 2nd year, earlier than some forbs
• Seed dormancy; sow in fall for cold stratification
• Seed easily cleaned to a purity of 90+ percent
• 225,000 – 500,000+ seeds/lb
• Can be seeded in mixtures with most other herbs
• Will hybridize
Penstemon acuminatus
Sand penstemon
Sandy soils at low elevations (650-1400 m)
Short-lived perennial (2-6 dm)
Flowers pale blue (April, May)
Capsules open soon after ripening (550,000/lb)
Penstemon speciosus
(Sagebrush penstemon)
Distribution, Habitat, and Collection Sites
Boise
Burns
OREGON
NEVADA
Loamy soils from 1200-3300 m
Short-lived perennial (4 dm)
Wide-ranging species
Blue-violet flowers (May-June)
Capsules retain seed longer than previous sp. (508,000/lb)
Penstemon deustus
Scabland or hot-rock penstemon
Variable sites and habitats, often rocky (800-2,550 m)
Perennial with woody base (4 dm)
Small white flowers (May, June)
Wide ecological amplitude; 2 vars. in Intermountain Region
Capsules remain closed at maturity (2,900,000/lb)
RESULTS
Common gardens in ID, OR, NV - 2003-2006
Well drained soils essential due to damping off
Developed TZ testing, cleaning protocols
• Long stratification required:
deustus
10%
acuminatus
14%
speciosus
33%
with 12 week treatment
• Dormancy related to environmental conditions
• GA3 reduces dormancy
• P. deustus more responsive to GA3 than P. acuminatus
• Pollinators not limited
Lomatium spp.
L. dissectum
L. grayi
L. triternatum
Fernleaf biscuitroot
Gray’s biscuitroot
Nineleaf biscuitroot
Lomatium - BISCUITROOT
– 70 species in west/central N. America
(Apiaceae)
– Perennial herb, taproot often highly thickened
– Individual flowers small, united in umbel
– Flowers yellow (white); early spring growth
– Pollinators - solitary bees
– Common forb in rangelands
– High forage value
Cultural Practices
– Still learning how to grow & manage for seed production
– Large seed, easily harvested, easily cleaned w/uniform
ripening*
– 30,000-50,000 seeds/lb
– Early phenology - short irrigation season
– Seed dormancy; sow in fall for cold stratification
– Hybridization uncommon
Lomatium dissectum
Fernleaf biscuitroot
Large perennial (1.5 m) with large, thickened woody taproot
Widespread on variable soils, medium to coarse
700-2600 m
Leaves dissected
Yellow (purple) flowers; early phenology (April-May)
Lomatium grayi Gray’s biscuitroot
Rocky sites to moderately heavy soils
700-2800 m
Strong, parsley-like odor; fly pollinated
Highly dissected leaves (100s-1000s
segments)
Yellow flowers (April, early May)
Harvest seed May/June
Lomatium triternatum
Nineleaf biscuitroot
Highly variable soils (600-2700 m)
Perennial w/elongate, slightly thickened taproot
Leaves with minimal dissection
Yellow flowers (April)
Harvest seed (May/June)
RESULTS
• Common garden seeded – fall 2004
• Developed TZ testing, cleaning protocols – easily cleaned
• Seed ripening - L. grayi < L. triternatum < L. dissectum
• Early dormancy – no water after dormant
• Susceptible to aphids in greenhouse
stratification required – immature
embryos responsible
• Long
• Good seed production by 2nd year
Eriogonum - BUCKWHEAT
• 150 species, chiefly in the W. U.S. (Polygonaceae)
• > 50 species in UT; many endemics
• Annual, perennial forb, or subshrub
• Flowers small, simple to compoundly umbellate
(white, cream, yellow, or pink)
• Common rangeland plant
• Important nectar source for bees
Cultural Practices
• Moderate to well-drained soil
• Seed is a 3-angled achene (120,000 – 145,000 seeds/lb)
• Easy to collect and clean to 90% purity
• Seed matures August/September
• At least 2 species have been grown for landscaping
• Pollinated by bees, wasps, flies
• Ripening uniformity
• Seed predators
Eriogonum umbellatum
Sulfur buckwheat
Common, widespread species with numerous varieties
500-3100 m on variable soil types
Yellow flowers – July/August;
Harvest – August/Sept.
Pollinators various - bees, wasps, flies, others
Erigonum umbellatum collection sites
Still in the seed collection phase
Common gardens – 2005/2006
Germination studies
A prolific spreader from seed
Seed quality and insect predators are problematic
BEYOND?
Cooperative Native Seed Increase Program
To accelerate development of native forb seed
supplies, RMRS is collaborating with AOSCA &
State Foundation Seed agencies in the GB to
facilitate seed distribution to private growers.
• Multi-state, multi-agency effort - facilitates collaboration
across state lines with a greater number of species
• Coordinate w/BLM to identify forb species & populations
• Coordinate w/State Foundation Seed Agencies to
distribute seeds to interested growers
SEED INCREASE PROGRAMS
- Cooperative Native Seed Increase Program
(RMRS coordinates with BLM on identification of plant
materials for increase and w/AOSCA for program admin)
- Buy-back Program
(RMRS coordinates w/UCIA in Logan, UT for seed increase
of plant materials generated by the Great Basin Native Plant
Project)
• Ann DeBolt
adebolt@fs.fed.us
• Nancy Shaw
nshaw@fs.fed.us
• Greg H. Lowry
ghlowry@aol.com