Work in Progress
|
| The lovely town of Camas is named after the "Camas Lily" (Camassia quamash), a beautiful blue wildflower of the Pacific northwest. Camas bulbs were an important food source for many Native American tribes. These bulbs, which could be used as a vegetable or in bread, often saved tribes from starvation. They are very important plants in the history of this region, including the Lewis & Clark expedition. |
|
Brief History of Camas Lily
Camassia quamash is native to western North America in large areas of southern Canada and the northwestern United States, from British Columbia and Alberta to California and east from Washington state to Montana and Wyoming. Though the once-immense spreads of camas lands have diminished because of modern developments and agriculture, numerous camas prairies and marshes may still be seen today. The specific epithet "quamash" is derived from a Nez Perce Indian term for the plant, specifically referring to the bulbs. In fact, the Nez Perce term, "Qém'es," translates to "sweet," reflecting the plant's bulbs being a sweet and important food source for Native American tribes. The bulbs were harvested and pit-roasted or boiled by women of the Nez Perce, Cree, and Blackfoot tribes.They were also an important food source for the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806).
Camas quamash is classified in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), which includes the subfamily Agavoideae. Originally, it was placed in the lily family (Liliaceae), but DNA studies have shown it belongs in Asparagaceae. The Jepson Flora of California (Univ. of CA Press) places it in the agave family (Agavaceae) with agaves, yuccas and desert lilies. I wrote the taxonomic treatment for the duckweed family (Lemnaceae) for this book, so I am aware of many surprising changes in plant taxonomy. In fact, because of DNA sequencing studies, the duckweeds now reside in the arum family (Araceae), along with philodendrons and calla lilies! |
 Infamous Star Lily
Zygadenus fremontii |
The bulbs of death camas (Zigadenus venenosus) are quite poisonous to cattle, sheep, and humans if ingested. The bulbs contain zygadenine, a very toxic steroidal alkaloid. In fact, Zigadenus was one of the few genera in the lily family (Liliaceae) in which the bulbs were not eaten by native Americans. According to Fuller and McClintock (Poisonous Plants of California, 1986), one or two pounds of death camas may be sufficient to kill a 100 pound sheep. In addition, bulbs of death camas made into flour reportedly caused serious illness to members of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Several other species of Zigadenus called star lilies are native to the coastal mountains and grasslands of California. You should never gather native bulbs to eat without knowing the ID of plant. I once took a class about early uses of native plants in which instructor misidentified several poisonous wildflowers. This is the only time I ever reported a teacher.
|
|
Wayne's Word Chemistry Page 2 |
| Based on overall appearance, some members of agave family look very different from other species. To be consistent in modern plant taxonmy, plants are grouped into families based on their DNA and not their overall appearance. Computer-generated phylogenetic trees are useful to show the direction of evolution on Earth. For example, the DNA of birds can be traced back to dinosaurs! |
Sunrise at Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh, Idaho
|
