Definition

Noun: * A perennial herb native to western North America, specifically found west of the Cascade Mountains. It is a species of camas, characterized by its tall stem, grass-like leaves, and showy blue to violet (or sometimes white) star-shaped flowers that bloom in a dense cluster (raceme). It grows from a bulb and is found in moist meadows and grasslands.

Examples of Usage

• The meadow was a stunning blue in spring, carpeted with .
• Botanists study to understand its role in the prairie ecosystem.
• The bulbs of were an important traditional food source for Indigenous peoples.

Advanced Usage

• The species name "" honors the German horticulturist Max Leichtlin.
• In botanical or horticultural contexts, it is often referred to by its full scientific binomial, , to distinguish it from the common camas ().

Variants and Related Words

• Common Camas (): A closely related species with a similar appearance and habitat, often found in the same regions.
• Camas or Camassia: The common name and genus name for this group of flowering plants.
• Wild Hyacinth: A common name sometimes used for plants in the genus.

Synonyms

• Great Camas
• Leichtlin's Camas

Related Phrases

• Camas Prairie: A term for a natural grassland where camas, including , is the dominant flowering plant.
• Bulbiferous plant: A descriptive term for a plant that grows from a bulb, like .

Noun

1. camas found to the west of Cascade Mountains