About Hoffmannseggia glauca (Ortega) Eifert
Hoffmannseggia glauca (Ortega) Eifert is an erect perennial herb that grows up to 30 cm tall. Its slender branches grow from the base of the plant and bear stalked glands. Its foliage is made up of compound leaves that have both primary and secondary leaflets. Primary leaflets, which measure 5–20 mm, are odd-pinnate, while secondary leaflets, which measure 4–6 mm, are even-pinnate. The glandular inflorescence measures 5–15 cm long. Flowers are orange-red with spreading petals, and bloom from April to June. The fruit that develops is 1.5–4 cm long, glandular, curved, and short-stalked, and it may or may not be deciduous. According to the USDA, Hoffmannseggia glauca is classified as a noxious weed in Kansas. Historically, the Pima, Apache, Cocopa, and Pueblo peoples ate the tubers or bulbs of this plant raw, boiled, or roasted.
