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The Alpine lewisia (Lewisia pygmaea) belongs to Portulaceae (the Purslane family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed in western North America, from British Columbia in Canada to California in the United States. This herb grows above the tree limit in the mountains and can reach 10 to 15 cm in height. The leaves are fleshy, linear, similar to Allium, and basal. In the summer, the flower stalks are stretched and bloom from pink to white with dark pink streaks. The center of flower is pale green. After flowering, the above-ground part dies and sprouts in fall. Native Americans dried the rhizomes into preserved foods.
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