See also CAMAS. [N. American Indian.] A North American liliaceous plant (Camassia esculenta), the bulbs of which are used for food by the American Indians. Eastern quamash (see quot. 1868).
1814. Lewis & Clarke’s Exp. (1893), 958. The Chopunnish are now dispersed in villages … for the purpose of collecting quamash.
1868. Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 452. The plant [Camus] is otherwise known as the eastern quamash, or wild hyacinth, and in botanical nomenclature is Scilla Fraseri.
1882. Garden, 13 May, 323/3. The white Camassia … [is] not nearly so showy as the blue Quamash.
