Published by admin on Sun, 06/11/2023 - 3:38pm
LESLIE’S TRIVIA BITS: June 12, 2023
Bitterroot is the state flower of Montana. Its scientific name is Lewisia rediviva for Meriwether Lewis, who collected samples of it for botanical research. The “rediviva” part of the name refers to the plant’s capacity to revive after it had been without soil or water during its extended trip back east. Lewis boiled the plant’s root and ate it, as the local Shoshone people did, but he said it had “a very bitter taste” that he found “naucious to my pallate.” Thus, we get bitterroot’s common name.