Common yampah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common yampah |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Perideridia
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| Species: |
gairdneri
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Perideridia gairdneri, also known as common yampah or Gardner's yampah, is a fascinating wild plant. It's a type of flowering plant found in western North America. You can spot it growing from southwestern Canada all the way down to California and New Mexico. This plant is special because it grows in many different places.
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What is Common Yampah?
Common yampah is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows from special underground parts called tubers. These tubers look a bit like small carrots and can be up to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) long. The plant's stem is thin and grows straight up. It can reach about 0.6 to 1 meter (2 to 3 feet) tall.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves near the bottom of the plant are quite long. They can be up to 35 centimeters (about 14 inches) in length. These leaves are divided into many narrow, smaller parts. Leaves higher up on the stem are smaller and less divided.
The plant's flowers grow in a special shape called a compound umbel. This looks like a group of small, round clusters of tiny white flowers. After the flowers, the plant produces small, ribbed, rounded fruits. Each fruit is only a few millimeters long.
An Important Food Plant
The entire common yampah plant is edible. However, it is very important to be careful. Some plants in the same family, like water hemlock and poison hemlock, are deadly. Always be sure you know exactly what plant you are picking before eating it. Never eat a wild plant unless an expert identifies it for you.
Food for Native Americans
Common yampah was a very important food source for many Native American groups. It was even a staple food for some. Groups like the Blackfoot, Northern Paiute, Cheyenne, and Comanche relied on it.
The word "yampa" likely comes from the Comanche name for the tuber, which was "yap" or "yampa." One main group of the Comanche, the Yapainuu, were named "the yap eaters." Their famous chief was Ten Bears. This group, also known as the Yamparikas, lived in the Northern Oklahoma area long ago.
How Yampah Was Used
The tuberous roots of the yampah plant were eaten in many ways. They could be prepared like potatoes. People would roast them, steam them, or eat them fresh. The roots could also be dried and made into a mush or pinole. They were even ground into flour and used for flavoring. Besides food, yampah was also used for traditional medicine.
Historical Encounters
In 1805 and 1806, the explorer Meriwether Lewis saw this plant. He thought it was a type of fennel. This shows how important and widespread the plant was.
Names in Other Languages
This important food root has different names in various Native American languages:
