"Loma" is Greek for "border" and refers to the small wings of the fruit.  The genus was named by Constantine Rafinesque in 1819.

Canyonlands Biscuitroot is a Southeast Utah/Western Colorado endemic found primarily in the Entrada and Navajo Sandstones of Arches National Park and Colorado National Monument.  One-to-two inch diameter clusters of yellow flowers stand well above the dark green broadly lobed, pinnate leaves.  This eye-catching plant is often solitary, standing out against sandy soils, commonly very close to sandstone fins and walls.

The eye-catching mound of Lomatium latilobum in the photographs is about one and one half feet in diameter and a foot high. Such mounds stabilize soil and create micro-habitats.

The first specimen of this plant was collected by Rydberg and Garrett in Grand County, Utah in 1911 and Rydberg named the plant Cynomarathrum latilobum and described it in 1913. Mathias renamed the plant Lomatium latilobum in 1931.

Lomatium parryi (Parry's Biscuitroot, Parry's Lomatium)
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Shrublands, canyons. Spring.
North Fork of Upper Mule Canyon, Utah, April 8, 2014.

Lomatium parryi (Parry's Biscuitroot, Parry's Lomatium)
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Shrublands, canyons. Spring.
Upper Mule Canyon, Utah, April 8, 2005 and Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study Area, Utah, March 30, 2013.

Since umbels of golden yellow flowers are quite common in the Lomatium and Cymopterus genera, we might at first despair in our attempts to identify the plant at left, but note the distinguishing very finely cut, fern-like leaves, the persistence of leaves from previous years, the height often to over a foot tall, and the (sometimes) red flower stems. Location and blooming time also help to separate the species in the Lomatium and Cymopterus genera. More distinguishing characteristics are noted below.

Charles Parry was a 19^th century physician and eminent botanical collector for whom a number of species shown in this web site are named. He collected the first specimen of this plant in Utah, probably in the 1870s. (More biographical information about Parry.)

Lomatium parryi (Parry's Biscuitroot, Parry's Lomatium)
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Shrublands, canyons. Spring.
Upper Mule Canyon, Utah, April 8, 2005.

Lomatium parryi (Parry's Biscuitroot, Parry's Lomatium)
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Shrublands, canyons. Spring.
Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study Area, Utah, March 30, 2013.

Leaves are divided into fine, pointed leaflets; leaf stems persist for several seasons; bractlets of the involucels can be entire (as here) or divided; flowers fade from yellow to white.

Lomatium parryi ( Parry's Biscuitroot, Parry's Lomatium)
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Shrublands, canyons. Spring.
Arches National Park, Utah, May 4, 2005.

Seeds are numerous and showy.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Lomatium latilobum

Range map for Lomatium parryi