Argentina pacifica, sometimes called pacific silverweed,[1] silverweed cinquefoil,[2] or simply silverweed,[3] is a low-growing perennial plant with pinnate leaves and yellow flowers. The edible roots were valued by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast.
| Argentina pacifica | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Argentina |
| Species: | A. pacifica
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| Binomial name | |
| Argentina pacifica | |
| Synonyms | |
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Description
editIt is a low-growing (15 cm or 6 in) perennial plant. It has pinnately compound green leaves with silvery undersides. The yellow, saucer-shaped flowers appear from late spring through summer.
Taxonomy
editThe plant is a member of the species aggregate known as Argentina anserina or Potentilla anserina.[4]
Distribution and habitat
editPacific silverweed spreads very quickly in moist areas. Preferring salt marshes, river estuaries and shorelines, they are often seen growing alongside springbank clover.[5] They need sun and regular water.
Uses
editPacific silverweed is important in Pacific Northwest coastal indigenous cultures. Indigenous people dig for its edible roots. As an important vegetable, families maintained rights to access patches through potlatch.[6] New plants can grow from small root fragments, and with some attention families could guarantee patches persisted for generations, perhaps over thousands of years.[7] Northwest Coast peoples used to dig them in spring with yew-wood shovels before pit-cooking them or boiling them with eulachon grease. Cooked roots have a slightly bitter sweet-potato flavour. Northwest Coast peoples also washed them or mashed them into cakes and dried them for winter.[5]
References
edit- ^ Chuck Kozak (1999). "An incomplete and ever-evolving catalogue of native plants of Montara Mountains". Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ Paul Slichter. "Cinquefoils West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington". Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ "Washington Native Plant Society". Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ Arne Rousi (1965). "Biosystematic studies on the species aggregate Potentilla anserina L.". Annales Botanici Fennici. 2 (1): 47–112. JSTOR 23724290.
- ^ a b Turner, Nancy (2004). Plants of Haida Gwaii (Second ed.). Winlaw BC: SONO NIS PRESS. pp. 140–141. ISBN 1-55039-176-3.
- ^ Turner, Nancy (9 January 2017). ""Expert Opinion of Dr Nancy J. Turner"". Nancy Turner.
- ^ Deur, Douglas (2005). Keeping it Living: Traditions of Plant Use and Cultivation on the Northwest Coast of North America. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press. ISBN 0774812672.
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