Napa biscuitroot facts for kids

The Lomatium repostum is a special kind of flowering plant. It's often called the Napa biscuitroot or Napa lomatium. This plant belongs to the carrot family, just like the carrots you might eat!

This plant is found only in California. This means it is endemic to California. You can find it in the northern California Coast Ranges, especially around the northern San Francisco Bay Area. It often grows in places where the soil is a special type called serpentine soil. This soil is unique and has certain minerals that only some plants can grow in.

What Does This Plant Look Like?

Lomatium repostum is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years. It can spread out up to half a meter long. It grows from a thin taproot, which is like a main root that goes straight down into the ground.

Usually, this plant doesn't have a tall stem. Its leaves and flowers grow close to the ground. The leaves are made up of smaller parts called leaflets. These leaflets have sharp, jagged edges and can be up to 6 centimeters long.

Its Unique Flowers

The flowers of the Napa biscuitroot grow in a special shape called an umbel. Imagine an umbrella turned upside down, with all the flower stalks coming from one central point. The flowers themselves can be yellowish-green or even purplish.