Camassia scilloides

Camassia scilloides
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Agavoideae
Genus:	Camassia
Species:	C. scilloides
Binomial name
Camassia scilloides (Raf.) Cory.
Synonyms [2]
Camassia esculenta (Ker Gawl.) B.L.Rob.(nom. illeg.)

Camassia scilloides is a perennial herb known commonly as Atlantic camas, wild hyacinth, ^[1] and eastern camas. ^[3] It is native to the eastern half of North America, including Ontario and the eastern United States. ^[3]

Description

The species produces inflorescences up to half a meter tall from a bulb 1–3 centimetres (0.39–1.18 in) wide. ^[4] It has a few leaves, each up to 20–60 cm (7.9–23.6 in) long. ^[4] The flowers have light blue or whitish tepals and yellow anthers. The green or brown capsule is up to a centimeter long ^[3] and divided into three parts. ^[4]

Atlantic camas ("wild hyacinth") flower

Uses

Native American groups used the bulbs for food, eating them raw, baked, roasted, boiled, or dried. ^[5] They can be used in place of potatoes, but could possibly be confused for poisonous deathcamas. ^[4]

Taxonomy

The superseded name Camassia esculenta (Ker Gawl.) B.L.Rob. (nom. illeg.) ^[6] should not be confused with Camassia esculenta (Nutt.) Lindl., a superseded name for Camassia quamash subsp. quamash. ^[7]

References

1. NatureServe (5 May 2023). "Camassia scilloides". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
2. Rhodora 10: 31 (1908)
3. Camassia scilloides. Flora of North America.
4. Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 65. ISBN   978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC   244766414.
5. Camassia scilloides. Native American Ethnobotany. University of Michigan, Dearborn.
6. World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Camassia esculenta (Ker Gawl.) B.L.Rob.
7. World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Camassia esculenta (Nutt.) Lindl.

External links

• Media related to Camassia scilloides at Wikimedia Commons
• Camassia scilloides. USDA PLANTS
• Jalava, J. V. 2013. Recovery Strategy for the Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) in Ontario. Ontario Recovery Strategy Series. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough.