Camassia scilloides | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asparagaceae |
Subfamily: | Agavoideae |
Genus: | Camassia |
Species: | C. scilloides
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Binomial name | |
Camassia scilloides | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Camassia esculenta |
Camassia scilloides is a perennial herb known commonly as Atlantic camas, wild hyacinth, [1] and eastern camas. [3] It is native to the eastern half of North America, including Ontario and the eastern United States. [3]
The species produces inflorescences up to half a meter tall from a bulb 1–3 centimetres (0.39–1.18 in) wide. [4] It has a few leaves, each up to 20–60 cm (7.9–23.6 in) long. [4] The flowers have light blue or whitish tepals and yellow anthers. The green or brown capsule is up to a centimeter long [3] and divided into three parts. [4]
Native American groups used the bulbs for food, eating them raw, baked, roasted, boiled, or dried. [5] They can be used in place of potatoes, but could possibly be confused for poisonous deathcamas. [4]
The superseded name Camassia esculenta (Ker Gawl.) B.L.Rob. (nom. illeg.) [6] should not be confused with Camassia esculenta (Nutt.) Lindl., a superseded name for Camassia quamash subsp. quamash. [7]