Lomatium shevockii
Encyclopedia
Lomatium shevockii is a rare species of flowering plant in the carrot family
known by the common name Owens Peak desertparsley, or Owens Peak lomatium. It is endemic to Kern County, California
, where it is known from only two occurrences at Owens Peak
, one of the highest points of the Sierra Nevada. It is a plant of the talus
and wooded slopes of the high mountains. This species was discovered in 1984 and first described to science in 1988.
This is a perennial herb growing no more than about 12 centimeters tall from a thin taproot
. There is generally no stem, the leaves and inflorescence
emerging at ground level. The waxy gray-green leaf blades are made up of several very small, sharp-toothed, fleshy segments. The inflorescence
is a small umbel
of tiny purple flowers.
Apiaceae
The Apiaceae , commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants...
known by the common name Owens Peak desertparsley, or Owens Peak lomatium. It is endemic to Kern County, California
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
, where it is known from only two occurrences at Owens Peak
Owens Peak
Owens Peak is the highest point in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains at more than 8,400 feet. The peak stands near the center of the Owens Peak Wilderness which was designated by United States Congress in 1994, and it now has a total of...
, one of the highest points of the Sierra Nevada. It is a plant of the talus
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
and wooded slopes of the high mountains. This species was discovered in 1984 and first described to science in 1988.
This is a perennial herb growing no more than about 12 centimeters tall from a thin taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
. There is generally no stem, the leaves and 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...
emerging at ground level. The waxy gray-green leaf blades are made up of several very small, sharp-toothed, fleshy segments. 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...
is a small umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
of tiny purple flowers.