Camas
/ˈkæməs/noun
A North American plant of the genus Camassia, especially one with an edible bulb traditionally gathered by Indigenous peoples.
Did you know?The camas bulb was traditionally pit-roasted for many hours, converting its inulin into sweeter, digestible sugars; Lewis and Clark documented camas prairies during their expedition.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-contact era
Nimi’ipuu
qém’es
“A camas bulb or camas plant; the precise original form is represented differently in historical sources.”
18th–19th Century
Chinook Jargon
kamass
“Camas, especially the edible bulb used as an Indigenous food.”
19th Century
English
quamash
“An English rendering and variant of the Indigenous plant name.”
19th Century
English
camas
“The plant or its edible bulb, especially in descriptions of the Pacific Northwest.”
Modern English
English
camas
“A flowering North American plant of the genus Camassia, also called Indian hyacinth.”