About Sanicula tuberosa Torr.
Sanicula tuberosa Torr. is a species of flowering plant in the parsley family, commonly called turkey pea. It is native to western North America, ranging from Oregon through California to Baja California, and grows in many habitat types including chaparral, forests, and woodlands. This plant has a variable appearance. In general, it is a perennial herb that grows a slender stem up to 80 centimeters long from a small spherical tuber that is no wider than 2 centimeters. Its leaves are compound, usually divided into three leaflets that may be smooth-edged or deeply cut into lobes. The above-ground plant tissue ranges in color from green to purple. Its inflorescence consists of one or more heads that contain both bisexual and male-only flowers, each with tiny, curving yellow petals. Its fruits measure 1 to 2 millimeters long and are covered in bumpy tubercles.