Chlorogalum angustifolium
Encyclopedia
Chlorogalum angustifolium is a species of flowering plant, known by the common name narrowleaf soap plant. It is native to the Sierra Nevada foothills and inner North Coast Ranges of California
, and the mountains of southern Oregon
, where it grows in heavy, rocky soils in woodland and on grassy hillsides. This is a perennial wildflower growing from a fibrous bulb
a few centimeters wide. It has narrow basal leaves only a few millimeters wide.
The inflorescence
may be up to 70 centimeters long and is composed of several ephemeral flowers which open in the evening and close by the following morning. Each has six tepal
s about a centimeter long which are white with yellow-green midveins. There are six stamen
s tipped with large yellow anthers. The fruit is a capsule 1 to 3 millimeters long. The Karuk
of northern California used the soapy juice from the crushed bulbs of this plant as a detergent
for washing clothes.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and the mountains of southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where it grows in heavy, rocky soils in woodland and on grassy hillsides. This is a perennial wildflower growing from a fibrous bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
a few centimeters wide. It has narrow basal leaves only a few millimeters wide.
The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
may be up to 70 centimeters long and is composed of several ephemeral flowers which open in the evening and close by the following morning. Each has six tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s about a centimeter long which are white with yellow-green midveins. There are six stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s tipped with large yellow anthers. The fruit is a capsule 1 to 3 millimeters long. The Karuk
Karuk
Karuk is an indigenous people of California in the United States.The tribal headquarters, located off State Route 96, is in the town of Happy Camp, California. Currently the tribe has three tribal board meeting places, in Yreka, Happy Camp, and Orleans...
of northern California used the soapy juice from the crushed bulbs of this plant as a detergent
Detergent
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
for washing clothes.