Miner's Lettuce, Claytonia perfoliata

This is a fleshy annual plant native to the western mountain and coastal regions of North America from southernmost Alaska and central British Columbia south to Central America, but most common in California in the Sacramento and northern San Joaquin valleys. It grows in cool, damp areas on our property in Southern Oregon in the early spring to about May or whenever it begins to get dry and warm. These lovely little plants were growing in the shade of the pine forest we walked through, though they were at the end of their growing season with the heat of summer coming to this high altitude area.

Miner's Lettuce gets its name because it was eaten by miners during the Goldrush era to prevent scurvy and provide vitamin C. It has a delicate flavor and can be mixed into salad greens. It is sometimes boiled, and then has the flavor and consistency of spinach. This plant was introduced in western Europe in 1749 and has been widely naturalized there. (some of this information was gathered from Wikipedia)

This image was taken on the hike to the base of Pilot Rock in Southern Oregon on July 23.