[pbs] Editble Camas and Zygadenus, was Re: Help with S. Baja bulb ID
totototo at telus.net
totototo at telus.net
Fri Nov 24 13:34:19 EST 2006
On 23 Nov 06, at 14:55, Arnold Trachtenberg wrote:
> With apologies to Overseas members, which bulbs, corms, rhizomes,
> tubers can one enjoy with a traditional Thanksgiving feast?
Camassia esculenta. Delicious steamed... if, that is, you like
library paste!
Comment on eating camas: the local Indians (Coast Salish immediately
around Victoria) are always described as roguing Zygadenus venenosus
out of their camas fields when it was in flower -- the Zygadenus has
poisonous bulbs that are visually indistinguishable from camas bulbs.
Most, perhaps all, of the references I've seen imply that Zygadenus
looks like a white-flowered camas, but it doesn't. The flowers are a
dirty yellowy-greeny color and the arrangement of the inflorescence
is very different from camas of any species.
Likewise, the seed capsules are completely different.
It's time to put to bed the myth and misunderstanding "death camas is
just like a regular camas, only with white flowers."
--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate
on beautiful Vancouver Island
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