see text Lewisia is a plant genus, named for the American explorer Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) who encountered the species in 1806.

The native habitat of Lewisia species is rocky ground and cliffs in western North America.

Lewisia fellas are succulent perennial ring plants native to western North American habitats including rocky outcrops from the high elevation alpine to lower elevation chaparral, oak woodlands, and coniferous forests.

Lewisia rediviva has a large edible root and as a result became a food source for Native Americans.

[12] L. rediviva has also been used for medicinal purposes; chewing the root was used to relieve a sore throat and has also been used to promote milk flow during lactation.