This research examines an edible and medicinal plant species, Balsamorhiza
sagittata Pursh (Nutt) (balsamroot, or spring sunflower). Included are: 1) a study of
literature concerning previous uses and potential agronomic applications of B. sagittata;
2) an ecological study to assess the general habitat requirements of B. sagittata at three
populations in the Northwestern Plateau of British Columbia; and 3) an agronomic study
of B. sagittata, the main purpose of which is to explore the development of the species in
a cropping system or as a horticulture plant.
Ethnobotanical literature confirms that B. sagittata has a long tradition as a highly
significant food and medicinal resource on the Northern plateau. A review of botanical
and range literature indicates that the species is an ecologically important forb in
sagebrush ecosystems.
Ecological data collectci:l was significantly different between the field sites. The
only variable that was statistically similar at the Pavilion Mountain, Hat Creek Valley and
Botanie Valley research locations was the number of blooms on the B. sagittata plants.
Furthermore the data did not indicate significant correlations to explain variation in the
number of B. sagittata plants between sample plots.
Preliminary agronomic experiments indicate that B. sagittata can be propagated
by seed, both in a greenhouse and at a field location. Treating seeds with ethylene before
stratification significantly increased seed germination. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/8834 |
| Date | 05 December 2017 |
| Creators | Chambers, Kimberlee |
| Contributors | Turner, Nancy J., Keller, C. Peter |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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