Ethnobotany. The roots of  Lomatium piperi have been used as a food by the Paiute according to “Ethnobotany of the Oregon Paiutes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation” (Mahar, James Michael., 1953).

Description from the Vascular Plants of the University of Washington. General: Low, glabrous perennial from a globose-thickened taproot, with each stem bearing at least one cauline leaf, 10-25 cm. tall. Leaves: Leaves few, bi-ternately compound and pinnately-ternately dissected; petiole slender, sheathing, green or purplish tinged; leaf blades oblong to ovate in outline, 1.5-5.5 cm. long, glabrous; ultimate leaf segments 10-30, linear, 0.2-4 mm. long. Thickened root 0.5-1 cm. in diameter, brown, smooth. Flowers: Umbels usually 2, one terminal, the other borne in the axil of the single leaf; rays 3-10, 1.5-3.5 cm. long; involucre none; involucel bractlets 2-6, narrowly elliptic, 0.5-2 mm. long; calyx obsolete; flowers white, with purple anthers; pedicels 0.5-2.5 mm. long. Fruits: Fruit ovate, 4-9 mm. long and 2.5-5 mm. wide, the lateral wings the width of the body.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Compared to Lomatium piperi, Lomatium gormanii has no stem leaves, the globose root is covered with rootlets, and the wing on the fruit is narrow.