[Groundsmokes: The Genus Gayophytum East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Racemed Groundsmoke

Gayophytum racemosum

Synonyms: Gayophytum caesium, Gayophytum helleri, Gayophytum helleri var. glabrum, Gayophytum humile var. hirtellum, Gayophytum racemosum var. caesium, Gayophytum racemosum var. racemosum

Racemed Groundsmoke: Gayophytum racemosum (Synonyms: Gayophytum caesium, Gayophytum helleri, Gayophytum helleri var. glabrum, Gayophytum humile var. hirtellum, Gayophytum racemosum var. caesium, Gayophytum racemosum var. racemosum) - Racemed Groundsmoke: Gayophytum racemosum (Synonyms: Gayophytum caesium, Gayophytum helleri, Gayophytum helleri var. glabrum, Gayophytum humile var. hirtellum, Gayophytum racemosum var. caesium, Gayophytum racemosum var. racemosum)

Close-ups of the flower and upper stem leaves of what may be racemed groundsmoke as seen along the access road to Antelope Mountain Lookout, Malheur National Forest..........June 25, 2011.

Racemed Groundsmoke: Gayophytum racemosum (Synonyms: Gayophytum caesium, Gayophytum helleri, Gayophytum helleri var. glabrum, Gayophytum humile var. hirtellum, Gayophytum racemosum var. caesium, Gayophytum racemosum var. racemosum) - Racemed Groundsmoke: Gayophytum racemosum (Synonyms: Gayophytum caesium, Gayophytum helleri, Gayophytum helleri var. glabrum, Gayophytum humile var. hirtellum, Gayophytum racemosum var. caesium, Gayophytum racemosum var. racemosum)

Racemed Groundsmoke: Gayophytum racemosum (Synonyms: Gayophytum caesium, Gayophytum helleri, Gayophytum helleri var. glabrum, Gayophytum humile var. hirtellum, Gayophytum racemosum var. caesium, Gayophytum racemosum var. racemosum) - Racemed Groundsmoke: Gayophytum racemosum (Synonyms: Gayophytum caesium, Gayophytum helleri, Gayophytum helleri var. glabrum, Gayophytum humile var. hirtellum, Gayophytum racemosum var. caesium, Gayophytum racemosum var. racemosum)

The photo above and directly below shows racemed groundsmoke. Note how small the flowers are, and how the sepals begin to turn downward as the flowers open. Note also the mountain navarretia (Navarretia divaricata) at lower right in the photo above. Photographed at about 4100' on a rocky bald atop the ridge dividing the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams..........June 13, 2005. The plants of this species at this location tend to be less than 8 cm high. The petals are less than 1 mm long. Note also how the leaves are much longer than the internodes.

Paul Slichter