Balsamorhiza hookeri

Balsamorhiza hookeri is a North American species of perennial plant in the family Asteraceae. It grows in the Great Basin and neighboring regions in the Western United States. It is found in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.

Description

The leaves are compound pinnate, with the leaflet divisions also divided or deeply lobed. Basal leaves are hairy and may be up to long.
There may be one to several stems, which are leafless and hairy, and topped by one flower each.
It blooms from April to July. Flower heads are wide, and sunflower-like, with 10–21 fringe-tipped ray flowers and numerous disc flowers. The flower bract has long hairs.

Distribution and habitat

It grows to in dry, grassy meadows in sagebrush steppe and montane plant communities in the Great Basin. It is common at much lower elevations in central Washington State scablands.

Ecology

It tends to grow in rockier habitats than its cousin, arrow-leaf balsamroot. It hybridizes with arrow-leaf balsamroot, which has arrow shaped leaves. The result is a plant with leaves that are arrow shaped, but also deeply divided.

Uses

Balsamroots have been used as food and medicine by native peoples for many years.