Marah horrida (Sierra Manroot)
Credit: Scott Hodges
about the species
Marah horrida is a California endemic species, only found in the southern Sierra Nevada foothills and into the Tehachapi Mountain area in shrubby open areas. Like other species of Marah, it annually produces herbaceous vines from a large underground tuber. It has large oblong fruits (9 – 20 cm) with dense, large and stiff prickles. See Marah fabacea for more about this genus.
why species was selected
Like a number of California plant groups, Marah species form a replacement series around the central valley with different species primarily found in southern, central or northern portions of the coast ranges or Sierra Nevada. M. horrida is a California endemic species. The genus was important to indigenous Californians, for, among other things, to stun fish and as a soap.
