The Lewis and Clark Herbarium

Plants Collected by Lewis and Clark

Lewisia to Mirabilis

1. Lewisia rediviva Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept.: 368. Dec (sero) 1813. (Portulacaceae) - bitterroot, Oregon bitterroot. PH-LC 119 (Moulton 87). Collected at Travelers' Rest on the Bitterroot River in Missoula Co., Montana, on 2 Jul 1806.

2. Lewisia triphylla (S. Watson) B. L. Rob. in A. Gray, Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1(1): 269. 1897. (Portulacaceae) - three-leaf bitterroot PH-LC 120 (Moulton 88). Collected near Hungery Creek along the Lolo Trail in Idaho Co., Idaho, on 27 Jun 1806. The plant was last collected in this area in the 1930s; it remains to be rediscovered along the Lolo Trail.

   

   

   Leymus mollis (Trin.) Pilger
   

3. Leymus mollis (Trin.) Pilger in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 74: 6. 1947. (Poaceae) - American dune grass. PH-LC 121 (Moulton 89). Probably collected along the coast of Oregon near Fort Clatsop, Clatsop Co., Oregon, in late 1805 or early 1806. Synonymy: Elymus mollis Trin.

   

   Liatris aspera Michx.
   

4. Liatris aspera Michx., Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 92. 1803. (Asteraceae) tall gayfeather. PH-LC 122 (Moulton 89). Collected along the Missouri River near the Charles Mix-Brule Co. line in South Dakota on 12 Sep 1804.

5. Liatris pycnostachya Michx., Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 91. 1803. (Asteraceae) cat-tail gayfeather. PH-LC 123 (Moulton 90). Collected along the Missouri River near Chamberlain, Brule Co., South Dakota, on 15 Sep 1804.

   

   Lilium philadelphicum L.
   

6. Lilium philadelphicum L., Sp. Pl., ed. 2, 1: 435. 1762 (Liliaceae) - wood lily. No extant material. Apparently collected on the northern Great Plains by Lewis and Clark, and perhaps in Montana. Supposedly Pursh had two elements before him, the Lewis and Clark collection which is now lost, and one or more specimens obtained by Nuttall at or near Fort Mandan in 1811 that are also lost. Synonymy: Lilium umbellatum Pursh; L. philadelpicum L. var. andinum (Nutt.) Ker Gawl.

   

   

   Linum lewisii Pursh
   

7. Linum lewisii Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept.: 210. Dec (sero) 1813. (Linaceae) - prairie flax. PH-LC 124 (Moulton 92a). Collected either by Lewis along the Sun River passing from Lewis and Clark Co., Montana, into Cascade Co. and most likely near the mouth of Simms Creek, or by Clark at "Fortunate Camp" in Beaverhead Co., Montana. The species was gathered on 9 Jul 1806. PH-LC 125 (Moulton 92b) was long assumed to be a Lewis and Clark collection. In fact, Thomas Nuttall more likely gathered the specimens on this sheet along the upper Missouri River in 1811. Synonymy: Linum perenne L. subsp. lewisii (Pursh) Hultén.

   

   Lomatium cous (S. Watson) J. M. Coult. & Rose
   

8. Lomatium cous (S. Watson) J. M. Coult. & Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 7: 214. 1900. (Apiaceae) - cous, cous-root desert parsley. PH-LC 126 (Moulton 93). Collected on the north bank of the Walla Walla River in Walla Walla Co., Washington, on 29 Apr 1806.

   

   

   

   Lomatium dissectum (Nutt.) Mathias & Const.
   

9. Lomatium dissectum (Nutt.) Mathias & Const. var. multifidum (Nutt.) Mathias & Const. in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 69: 246. 1946. (Apiaceae) - many-lobed giant desert parsley. PH-LC 127 (Moulton 94). Collected along the trail toward Weippe Prairie northeast of Kamiah in Clearwater Co., Idaho, on 10 Jun 1806.

   

   

   Lomatium grayi (J.M. Coult. & Rose) J.M. Coult. & Rose
   

10. Lomatium grayi (J.M. Coult. & Rose) J.M. Coult. & Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 7: 229. 1900. (Apiaceae) - Milfoil desert parsley. PH-LC 128 (Moulton 95). Collected along the Columbia River perhaps at the mouth of Major Creek, Klickitat Co., Washinton, on 14 Apr 1806. The Lewis specimen was mistakenly identified as the Wenatchee desert parsley (Lomatium cuspidatum Mathias & Const. in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 69: 246. 1942) by Reveal, Schuyler & Moulton (1999).

    

    

    

    Lomatium nudicaule (Pursh) J. M. Coult. & Rose
    

    Lomatium nudicaule (Pursh) J. M. Coult. & Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 7: 238. 1900. (Apiaceae) - pestle desert parsley, Indian consumption plant. PH-LC 129 (Moulton 96). Collected at The Dalles in Wasco Co., Oregon, on 15 Apr 1806. Synonymy: Smyrnium nudicaule.

    

    

    

    Lomatium triternatum (Pursh) J. M. Coult. & Rose
    

    Lomatium triternatum (Pursh) J. M. Coult. & Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 7: 227. 1900. (Apiaceae) - ternate desert parsley. PH-LC 130 (Moulton 97). Collected along the Clearwater River between the mouth of the Potlatch River to just downstream of Pine Creek in Nez Perce Co., Idaho, on 6 May 1806. Synonymy: Seseli triternatum Pursh.

    

    Lonicera ciliosa (Pursh) Poir. ex DC.
    

11. Lonicera ciliosa (Pursh) Poir. ex DC., Prodr. 4: 333. 1830. (Caprifoliaceae) - orange honeysuckle. PH-LC 133 (Moulton 100b). Collected near Kamiah in Idaho Co., Idaho, on 5 Jun 1806. Synonymy: Caprifolium ciliosum Pursh.

    

    

    

    Lonicera involucrata (Richardson) Banks ex Spreng.
    

12. Lonicera involucrata (Richardson) Banks ex Spreng., Syst. Veg. 1: 759. 1825. (Caprifoliaceae) - four-line honeysuckle. PH-LC 134 (Moulton 101). Collected either by Lewis along the Blackfoot River in Lewis and Clark Co., Montana, or by Clark in Big Hole Valley in Beaverhead Co., Montana. The collection was made on 7 Jul 1806. Synonymy: Xylosteum involucratum Richardson.

    

    

    Lonicera utahensis S. Watson - flowers (upper) and fruits (lower)
    

13. Lonicera utahensis S. Watson in C. King, Botany [Fortieth Parallel]: 133. 1871. (Caprifoliaceae) - Rocky Mountain honeysuckle. PH-LC 135 (Moulton 100a). There are two associated with the collection. The first suggests the plant was collected on the Lolo Trail in Idaho Co., Idaho, on 16 Jun 1806. The second and more likely location was along the North Fork of the Salmon River from near the mouth of Hull Creek to near the junction of Hammerean Creek in Lemhi Co., Idaho, 2 Sep 1805.

    

    Lupinus argenteus Pursh
    

14. Lupinus argenteus Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept.: 468. Dec (sero) 1813. (Fabaceae) - silver-stem lupine. PH-LC 136 (Moulton 102a) and K! (Moulton 102b). The first sheet was probably collected along the Blackfoot River in Lewis and Clark Co., Montana, 7 Jul 1806. The second sheet was probably collected near Kamiah in Idaho Co., Idaho, on 5 Jun 1806.

    Lupinus pusillus Pursh
    

15. Lupinus pusillus Pursh var. intermontanus (A. Heller) C. P. Sm. in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 46: 408. 1919. (Fabaceae) - intermountain rusty lupine. No extant material. The lost specimen was probably collected near Kamiah in Idaho Co., Idaho, on 5 Jun 1806. The specimen at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, England, long considered to be a Lewis and Clark collection (see Moulton 103), is a Thomas Nuttall collection gathered in 1811 along the Missouri River in North Dakota. The Nuttall specimen is the rusty lupine, Lupinus pusillus Pursh (Fl. Amer. Sept.: 468. Dec (sero) 1813), seen above.

    

    

    Lupinus sericeus Pursh
    

16. Lupinus sericeus Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept.: 468. Dec (sero) 1813. (Fabaceae) - silky lupine. PH-LC 137 (Moulton 104a) and K (Moulton 104b). The first sheet was was collected near Kamiah in Idaho Co., Idaho, on 5 Jun 1806. The second sheet was gathered by Lewis as the expedition traveled from Beaver Creek in Lewis and Clark Co., up the Blackfoot River, and over the Continental Divide via Lewis and Clark Pass into Cascade Co., Montana, on 7 Jul 1806. The plant was probably found west of the Pass where it occurs today.

    

    Machaeranthera canescens (Pursh) A. Gray var. incana (Lindl.) A. Gray
    

17. Machaeranthera canescens (Pursh) A. Gray var. incana (Lindl.) A. Gray in Wilkes, U.S. Expl. Exped. 17(2): 340. 1874. (Asteraceae) - white hoary tansy-aster. PH-LC 138 (Moulton 105). Collected along the Columbia River in Oregon or Washington, probably 15 Oct-28 Oct 1805.

    

       Machaeranthera pinnatifida (Hook.) Shinners
    

18. Machaeranthera pinnatifida (Hook.) Shinners in Sida 1: 295. 1964. (Asteraceae) - lacy tansy-aster. PH-LC 139 (Moulton 106). Collected along the Missouri River in Lyman or Brule cos., South Dakota, on 15 Sep 1804, possibly near the mouth of the White River. Synonymy: Amellus spinulosus Pursh, Haplopappus spinulosus (Pursh) DC., Sideranthus spinulosus Sweet.

19. Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C. K. Schneid., Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 1: 806. 1906. (Moraceae) - Osage-orange. PH-LC 140 (Moulton 107). Collected along the Missouri River probably in 1804. Synonymy: Ioxylon pomiferum Raf., Maclura aurantiaca Nutt., Toxylon pomiferum Raf. ex Sarg.

    

    

    Matricaria matricarioides (Less.) Porter
    

20. Matricaria matricarioides (Less.) Porter in Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 341. 1894. (Asteraceae) - pineapple weed. PH-LC 141 (Moulton 110a). Collected on the Weippe Prairie in Clearwater Co., Idaho, on 12 Jun 1806. Sheet PH-LC 142 (Moulton 110b), long considered a Lewis and Clark specimen, appears to be garden material and was probably raised from seed gathered by Thomas Nuttall in 1811. Recent research suggests this ought to be called Chamomilla suaveolens (Pursh) Rydb. Synonymy: Matricaria discoidea DC. and Santolina suaveolens Pursh.

    

    

    

    Mentzelia decapetala (Pursh) Urb. & Gilg ex Gilg
    

21. Mentzelia decapetala (Pursh) Urb. & Gilg ex Gilg in Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Ges. 10: 263. 1892. (Loasaceae) - gumbo-lily. No extant material. Collected apparently on white bluffs near an Omaha Indian village along the Missouri River near the mouth of Bow Creek, Cedar Co., Nebraska, 25-26 Aug 1804. Synonymy: Bartonia decapetala Pursh, Bartonia ornata Pursh.

    

    

    Menziesia ferruginea Sm. var. glabella (A. Gray) M. E. Peck
    

22. Menziesia ferruginea Sm., Icon. Pict. Pl. Rar. 3: ad t. 56. 1792. (Ericaceae) - fool's-huckleberry. No extant material. According to Pursh (1813: 264), Lewis found the plant "on the Columbia river." It is impossible to tell from the available information whether he gathered the more coastal var. ferruginea or the inland var. glabella (A. Gray) M. E. Peck (Man. Pl. Oregon: 542. 1941) as both occur along the Columbia River. If the date (June) given by Pursh is an indication of when Lewis gathered the plant then most likely he found the var. glabella as by then the expedition was in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho where the taxon is the common phase.

    

    

    

    Mimulus guttatus Fisch. ex DC.
    

23. Mimulus guttatus Fisch. ex DC., Cat. Pl. Horti Monsp.: 127. 1813. (Phrymaceae) - common monkey-flower, seep monkey-flower. PH-LC 143 (Moulton 112). Collected along the Blackfoot River in Missoula Co., Montana, on 4 Jul 1806.

    

    Mimulus lewisii Pursh
    

24. Mimulus lewisii Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept.: 427, pl. 20. Dec (sero) 1813. (Phrymaceae) - Lewis' monkey-flower, great purple monkey-flower. No extant material. Collected apparently either in the Great Falls area in Cascade Co., Montana, sometime from 21 Jun-14 Jul 1805, or more likely along Trail Creek toward Lemhi Pass in Beaverhead Co., Montana, on 12 Aug 1805.

    

    Mirabilis nyctaginea (Michx.) MacMill.
    

25. Mirabilis nyctaginea (Michx.) MacMill., Metasp. Minn. Valley: 217. 1892. (Nyctaginaceae) - hairy four-o'clock. PH-LC 144 (Moulton 113a) and PH-LC 145 (Moulton 113b). Collected along the Missouri River just west of the Yankton-Bon Homme Co. line in South Dakota on 1 Sep 1804. Synonymy: Allionia ovata Pursh

      The photographs here are by James L. Reveal and by A. Scott Earle. Those taken by Reveal were for The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia as part of the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historical Preservation, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services to protect the priceless specimens found by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. In the spring of 2003, a book by Earle and Reveal entitled Lewis and Clark's Green World: The Expedition and its Plants was published by Farcountry Press. A CD by Earle E. Spamer and Richard M. McCourt, entitled Lewis and Clark Herbarium (CD) and also published in 2003, is available from the Academy of Natural Sciences. For a full array of the plants seen or collected by Lewis and Clark see Images of plants seen or collected by Lewis & Clark made by Reveal. For information on all aspects of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, see Discovering Lewis & Clark.

All images are copyrighted by the photographers and their use, for any purpose, requires written approval.