Biscuitroot Beardtongue Buckwheat and Beyond Ann De Bolt

Biscuitroot, Beardtongue, Buckwheat and Beyond Ann De. Bolt and Nancy L. Shaw USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID Greg H. Lowry Idaho Crop Improvement Association

USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research Station Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase 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

The Great Basin BLM 75 million acres FS 20 million acres (Cronquist et al. 1972)

RMRS - Boise Penstemon - BEARDTONGUE • P. acuminatus – sand • P. deustus – scabland • P. speciosus – sagebrush Lomatium - BISCUITROOT • L. dissectum - fernleaf • L. grayi - Gray’s • L. triternatum – nineleaf Eriogonum – BUCKWHEAT • E. umbellatum – sulfur

Penstemon - BEARDTONGUE • 3 rd 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

Cultural Practices • Cultivated for many years • Generally easy to grow, harvest, and manage • Seed production by 2 nd 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

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)

Penstemon speciosus (Sagebrush penstemon) Distribution, Habitat, and Collection Sites Boise Burns OREGON NEVADA 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)

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)

RESULTS Common gardens in ID, OR, NV - 2003 -2006 Well drained soils essential due to damping off Developed TZ testing, cleaning protocols

• Long stratification required: deustus 10% acuminatus 14% speciosus 33% with 12 week treatment • Dormancy related to environmental conditions • GA 3 reduces dormancy • P. deustus more responsive to GA 3 than P. acuminatus • Pollinators not limited

Lomatium spp. ØL. dissectum ØL. grayi ØL. triternatum Fernleaf biscuitroot Gray’s biscuitroot Nineleaf biscuitroot

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

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

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)

Lomatium grayi Gray’s biscuitroot Rocky sites to moderately heavy soils 700 -2800 m Strong, parsley-like odor; fly pollinated Highly dissected leaves (100 s-1000 s segments) Yellow flowers (April, early May) Harvest seed May/June

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)

RESULTS • Common garden seeded – fall 2004 • Developed TZ testing, cleaning protocols – easily cleaned • Seed ripening - L. grayi < L. triternatum < L. dissectum • Early dormancy – no water after dormant • Susceptible to aphids in greenhouse • Long stratification required – immature embryos responsible • Good seed production by 2 nd year

Eriogonum - BUCKWHEAT • 150 species, chiefly in the W. U. S. (Polygonaceae) • > 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

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

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

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

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.

• 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

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)

• Ann De. Bolt adebolt@fs. fed. us • Nancy Shaw nshaw@fs. fed. us • Greg H. Lowry ghlowry@aol. com