[The Figwort Family East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Besseya, Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops, Red Kittentails

Synthyris rubra

Synonym: Besseya rubra

Inflorescence of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra)

The photo above shows the inflorescence of red besseya as seen from grasslands next to Hog Lake east of Sprague, WA........April 29, 2006.
Characteristics:

Red besseya is a perennial from 20 to 60 cm tall. It is softly short-haired (villous-puberulent), especially when young, and may be largely glabrous (non-haired) in older plants. The basal leaves are 4 to 12 cm long, elliptic-ovate to subrotund in shape, and either coarsely toothed or often doubly crenately toothed. The base of most basal leaves is deltoid to subcordate. The stem leaves are increasingly reduced in size up the stem, and they are sessile.

The inflorescence is elongate, at first more compact, and then extending as the flower season proceeds. Petals are either absent, or very much reduced. The sepals as a unit are 3 to 4 lobed,often being unequal in size and shape. The stamen filaments are often dark red and 4 to 6 mm in length.

Habitat:

Red besseya is found on opens slopes and in dry meadows in the lowlands and foothills.

Range:

Red besseya is found entirely east of the Cascade Mountains in Washington, and from central Oregon eastward to western Montana.

Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra) - Inflorescence of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra) - Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra)

Red bessyeya as seen blooming in Summit Prairie, Malheur National Forest..........May 28, 2014.

Basal leaves of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra)

The photo above shows the basal cluster of leaves of red besseya as seen from grasslands next to Hog Lake east of Sprague, WA.........April 29, 2006.

Close-up of the developing fruits of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra) - Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra) - Basal leaves of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra)

Image of red besseya as seen with fruits developing on the upright stems. Observed along the Umatilla Rim Trail at the northwest corner of High Ridge, Umatilla National Forest........July 24, 2012.

Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra) - Inflorescence of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra)

Red besseya blooming in moist prairie along Forest Road 4215 about a mile and a half south of the junction with Forest Road 42, Ochoco National Forest.........May 9, 2017.

Inflorescence of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra) - Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra) - Inflorescence of Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra)

Red bessya as seen at the eastern edge of Big Summit Prairie about a half-mile southwest of the old Cold Springs Guard Station, Ochoco National Forest.........May 10, 2017.

Red Besseya, Red Coraldrops: Synthyris rubra (Synonym: Besseya rubra)

The photo at right shows red besseya as seen in meadows from Big Summit Meadows, Ochoco National Forest, late May, 1998.
Paul Slichter