Biscuitroot, Beardtongue, Buckwheat and Beyond

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Biscuitroot, Beardtongue, Buckwheat and Beyond

• Ann DeBolt and Nancy L. Shaw
• USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise,
  ID
• Greg H. Lowry
• Idaho Crop Improvement Association

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USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research StationGreat
Basin Native Plant Selection andIncrease
Project
Supported by
USDI BLM Great Basin Restoration and Native
Plant Initiatives
Objective Increase seed supplies of native plant
species, particularly forbs, for the Great Basin
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The Great Basin
BLM 75 million acres FS 20 million acres
(Cronquist et al. 1972)
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RMRS - Boise

• Penstemon - BEARDTONGUE
• P. acuminatus sand
• P. deustus scabland
• P. speciosus sagebrush
• Lomatium - BISCUITROOT
• L. dissectum - fernleaf
• L. grayi - Grays
• L. triternatum nineleaf
• Eriogonum BUCKWHEAT
• E. umbellatum sulfur

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Penstemon - BEARDTONGUE

• 3rd largest genus in Intermountain region
  (Scrophulariaceae)
• Approx. 250 species
• Showy tubular flowers
• 4 fertile stamens 1 bearded stamen
  (beardtongue)
• Common forb in rangelands
• Insect pollinated, particularly bees
• Wildlife forage

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Cultural Practices

• Cultivated for many years
• Generally easy to grow, harvest, and manage
• Seed production by 2nd year, earlier than some
  forbs
• Seed dormancy sow in fall for cold
  stratification
• Seed easily cleaned to a purity of 90 percent
• 225,000 500,000 seeds/lb
• Can be seeded in mixtures with most other herbs
• Will hybridize

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Penstemon acuminatus Sand penstemon
Sandy soils at low elevations (650-1400
m) Short-lived perennial (2-6 dm) Flowers pale
blue (April, May) Capsules open soon after
ripening (550,000/lb)
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Penstemon speciosus (Sagebrush penstemon)
Distribution, Habitat, and Collection Sites
Loamy soils from 1200-3300 m Short-lived
perennial (4 dm) Wide-ranging species Blue-violet
flowers (May-June) Capsules retain seed longer
than previous sp. (508,000/lb)
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Penstemon deustus Scabland or hot-rock
penstemon
Variable sites and habitats, often rocky
(800-2,550 m) Perennial with woody base (4
dm) Small white flowers (May, June) Wide
ecological amplitude 2 vars. in Intermountain
Region Capsules remain closed at maturity
(2,900,000/lb)
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RESULTS Common gardens in ID, OR, NV -
2003-2006 Well drained soils essential due to
damping off Developed TZ testing, cleaning
protocols

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• Long stratification required
• deustus 10
• acuminatus 14 with 12 week treatment
• speciosus 33
• Dormancy related to environmental conditions
• GA3 reduces dormancy
• P. deustus more responsive to GA3 than P.
  acuminatus
• Pollinators not limited

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• Lomatium spp.
• L. dissectum Fernleaf biscuitroot
• L. grayi Grays biscuitroot
• L. triternatum Nineleaf biscuitroot

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Lomatium - BISCUITROOT

• 70 species in west/central N. America
  (Apiaceae)
• Perennial herb, taproot often highly thickened
• Individual flowers small, united in umbel
• Flowers yellow (white) early spring growth
• Pollinators - solitary bees
• Common forb in rangelands
• High forage value

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• Cultural Practices
• Still learning how to grow manage for seed
  production
• Large seed, easily harvested, easily cleaned
  w/uniform
• ripening
• 30,000-50,000 seeds/lb
• Early phenology - short irrigation season
• Seed dormancy sow in fall for cold
  stratification
• Hybridization uncommon

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Lomatium dissectum Fernleaf biscuitroot
Large perennial (1.5 m) with large, thickened
woody taproot Widespread on variable soils,
medium to coarse 700-2600 m Leaves
dissected Yellow (purple) flowers early
phenology (April-May)
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Lomatium grayi Grays biscuitroot
Rocky sites to moderately heavy soils 700-2800
m Strong, parsley-like odor fly
pollinated Highly dissected leaves (100s-1000s
segments) Yellow flowers (April, early
May) Harvest seed May/June
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Lomatium triternatum Nineleaf biscuitroot
Highly variable soils (600-2700 m) Perennial
w/elongate, slightly thickened taproot Leaves
with minimal dissection Yellow flowers
(April) Harvest seed (May/June)
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• RESULTS
• Common garden seeded fall 2004
• Developed TZ testing, cleaning protocols
  easily cleaned
• Seed ripening - L. grayi lt L. triternatum lt L.
  dissectum
• Early dormancy no water after dormant
• Susceptible to aphids in greenhouse

• Long stratification required immature
• embryos responsible
• Good seed production by 2nd year

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Eriogonum - BUCKWHEAT

• 150 species, chiefly in the W. U.S.
  (Polygonaceae)
• gt 50 species in UT many endemics
• Annual, perennial forb, or subshrub
• Flowers small, simple to compoundly umbellate
• (white, cream, yellow, or pink)
• Common rangeland plant
• Important nectar source for bees

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Cultural Practices

• Moderate to well-drained soil
• Seed is a 3-angled achene (120,000 145,000
  seeds/lb)
• Easy to collect and clean to 90 purity
• Seed matures August/September
• At least 2 species have been grown for
  landscaping
• Pollinated by bees, wasps, flies
• Ripening uniformity
• Seed predators

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Eriogonum umbellatum Sulfur buckwheat
Common, widespread species with numerous
varieties 500-3100 m on variable soil
types Yellow flowers July/August Harvest
August/Sept. Pollinators various - bees, wasps,
flies, others
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Erigonum umbellatum collection sites
Still in the seed collection phase Common gardens
2005/2006 Germination studies A prolific
spreader from seed Seed quality and insect
predators are problematic
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BEYOND?
Cooperative Native Seed Increase Program To
accelerate development of native forb seed
supplies, RMRS is collaborating with AOSCA
State Foundation Seed agencies in the GB to
facilitate seed distribution to private growers.

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• Multi-state, multi-agency effort - facilitates
  collaboration
• across state lines with a greater number of
  species
• Coordinate w/BLM to identify forb species
  populations
• Coordinate w/State Foundation Seed Agencies to
• distribute seeds to interested growers

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• SEED INCREASE PROGRAMS
• Cooperative Native Seed Increase Program
• (RMRS coordinates with BLM on identification of
  plant materials for increase and w/AOSCA for
  program admin)
• Buy-back Program
• (RMRS coordinates w/UCIA in Logan, UT for seed
  increase of plant materials generated by the
  Great Basin Native Plant Project)

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• Ann DeBolt
• adebolt_at_fs.fed.us
• Nancy Shawnshaw_at_fs.fed.us
• Greg H. Lowry
• ghlowry_at_aol.com