Mountain Parsley, Biscuitroot, Alpine False Spring Parsley Pseudocymopterus montanus Parsley Family (Apiaceae)

​The Bloom Blog
Blooming this week in the environs of Abiquiú
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By Wildflowers of the Southern Rocky Mountains

Found in moist meadows, woodlands
Seen blooming in June near FS Rd 137 in Carson NF

The bright yellow flowers of Mountain Parsley are a common sight on trails at higher elevations throughout the summer. It grows from a few inches high at alpine elevations to two feet with slender stem and basal leaves that have long stalks and narrow leaf segments. The flowers grow in a flat, umbrella-like cluster of tiny flowers up to two inches wide. Flowers can be red, orange or purple in color but I have only seen yellow ones. The entire plant is edible, with the root being a significant source of sustenance. The dried root was ground into a flour which gave it the common name of Biscuitroot. Leaves were eaten as a green, the root was cooked with meat, and the leaves were boiled with cornmeal. Native Americans used it for gastrointestinal and urinary issues, as a laxative, and for ceremonial purposes. Additionally, the Navajo took an infusion or decoction after swallowing an ant. Source.

If you are trying to identify a different flower then you can check what other flowers bloom this month. If you cannot identify a flower from the website, send a photo and where you took it to [email protected]. Read online for tips.