Miner's Lettuce

Courtesy of Sharon 3/27/14
She picked these in Camby and brought them to me
She remembered that I was looking for this plant last year
Thank you Sharon

There are several plants called Miner's Lettuce.
This is Claytonia perfoliata.
Claytonia perfoliata has two leaves fused together that form a disk beneath each flower.

The other species of Miner's lettuce produces flowers in clusters on stems above the leaves.

An example of the other species of Miner's Lettuce, Claytonia sibirica, is shown below.

Both species of Miner's Lettuce are edible, delicious and nutritious.

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Claytonia perfoliata, is an annual herb that is native to western North America.

The common name miner's lettuce refers to its use by California Gold Rush miners who ate it to get their vitamin C to prevent scurvy. It can be eaten as a leaf vegetable. Most commonly it is eaten raw in salads, but it is not quite as delicate as other lettuce. Sometimes it is boiled like spinach, which it resembles in taste.

The small pink or white flowers have five petals 2–6 mm long; they appear from February to May or June, and are grouped 5–40 together above a pair of leaves that are united together around the stem to appear as one circular leaf.

Mature plants have numerous erect to spreading stems that branch from the base. (from Wikipedia)

This is an example of Clayhtonia sibirica, from a hike to Upper McCord Falls on 3/26/14
Note the leaves are not forged together to form a disk as is the case with Claytonia perfoliata

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