Pediomelum
Encyclopedia
Pediomelum is a genus of legumes
known as Indian breadroots. These are glandular perennial plants with palmately-arranged leaves. They have a main erect stem with inflorescence
s of blue or purple flowers and produce hairy legume pods containing beanlike seeds. Some species have woody roots while others have starchy tuber-like roots which can be eaten like tuber vegetables such as potato
es or made into flour
. Indian breadroots are native to North America. Many species have synonymy
with genus Psoralea
.
Selected species:
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
known as Indian breadroots. These are glandular perennial plants with palmately-arranged leaves. They have a main erect stem with 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...
s of blue or purple flowers and produce hairy legume pods containing beanlike seeds. Some species have woody roots while others have starchy tuber-like roots which can be eaten like tuber vegetables such as potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es or made into flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
. Indian breadroots are native to North America. Many species have synonymy
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
with genus Psoralea
Psoralea
Psoralea is a genus in the legume family . Although most species are poisonous, the starchy roots of P. esculenta and P. hypogaea are edible...
.
Selected species:
- Pediomelum argophyllum - silverleaf Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum aromaticum - aromatic Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum californicumPediomelum californicumPediomelum californicum is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name California Indian breadroot. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the chaparral and woodlands of the coastal mountain ranges. It is a perennial herb with no stem or a short stem that is...
- California Indian breadroot - Pediomelum canescens - buckroot
- Pediomelum castoreumPediomelum castoreumPediomelum castoreum is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name beaver Indian breadroot. It is native to the deserts around the intersection of California, Nevada, and Arizona, where it grows in local habitat including disturbed areas...
- beaver Indian breadroot - Pediomelum cuspidatumPediomelum cuspidatumPediomelum cuspidatum is a perennial herb also known as the Buffalo Pea and the Tall-bread Scurf-pea. It is found on the black soil prairies in Texas. It has an inflorescence on stems 18-40 centimeters long arising from a subterranean stem and deep carrot-shaped root that is 4-15 cm long...
- largebract Indian breadroot - Pediomelum cyphocalyx - turniproot
- Pediomelum digitatum - palmleaf Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum esculentum - large Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum humile - Rydberg's Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum hypogaeumPediomelum hypogaeumPediomelum hypogaeum is a perennial herb also known as the Little Indian Breadroot. It is found on the black soil prairies in Texas.-Growth:...
- subterranean Indian breadroot - Pediomelum latestipulatum - Texas Plains Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum linearifolium - narrowleaf Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum megalanthum - intermountain Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum mephiticum - skunktop
- Pediomelum pariense - Paria River Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum pentaphyllum - small Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum reverchonii - rock Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum rhombifolium - gulf Indian breadroot
- Pediomelum subacaule - whiterim Indian breadroot