Photo at right of seed capsules of Epilobium obcordatum from Strawberry Mt, Strawberry Wilderness........early September 1999.

Rose willowherb is a pretty, low growing wildflower with spreading stems growing from a stout woody base. Plants are from 10-20 cm tall. The herbage is smooth and glaucous (blue-gray green) with subsessile, ovate leaves ranging from 8-16 mm long.. The margins of the leaves are either entire or slightly serrate.

The petals are rose-colored, obcordate in shape, and 1.5-1.8 cm long. The calyx is about 15 mm long and is glandular-puberulent with narrow lobes. The filaments of the stamens are yellow, nearly equaling the calyx in length. The style is longer than the calyx (Notice the length of the styein he photos above and below.). The seed capsules, seen at right, are linear-clavate, glandular-puberulent, and from 2-2.5 cm long.

Rose willowherb is found growing in subalpine to alpine meadows, talus slopes, and on rocky ledges in the mountains.

Rose willowherb is found in mountainous areas from the central Cascades of Oregon and south through the Sierra Nevada to California and Nevada, and then east to the Blue Mts. and Steens Mt. of Oregon and the Sawtooth Mts. of central Idaho.