[Kittentails: The Genus Synthyris East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Mountain Kittentails, Tailed Kittentails

Synthyris missurica ssp. missurica

Synonym: Synthyris missurica var. missurica

Mountain Kittentails, Tailed Kittentails: Synthyris missurica ssp. missurica (Synonym: Synthyris missurica var. missurica)

This photo shows mountain kittentails as seen along forest road #4030 on the western slopes of Mt. Misery in the Umatilla N.F. of southeastern Oregon..........July 7, 2008.

The photo at right shows the developing seed capsules of mountain kittentails from the western edge of the Wenaha-Toucannon Wilderness of southeastern Washington..........late June, 1998.
Characteristics:

Mountain kittentails is a perennial wildflower about 10 to 60 cm tall. The leaves are mostly basal, although several small, reduced leaves may be found below the infloresence. The basal leaves are long petiolate with cordate bases, and either somewhat round in shape to somewhat kidney-shaped. The leaf blades are palmately veined and about 2.5 to 8 cm long and about as wide. The leaf margins are shallowly to deeply toothed, with individual teeth often posessing even smaller teeth.

The infloresence is elongate, with individual flowers having four sepals and four unequal corolla lobes. The individual petals are from 4 to 7 mm in length. The stem is often somewhat villous within the infloresence. The seed capsules are about 5 to 7 mm high and perhaps slightly wider. They are shallowly notched. See the photo at right above.


Subspecies of Mountain Kittentails:

Subspecies missurica -

Subspecies stellata -


Habitat:

Mountain kittentails is found on moist open or shaded slopes from the foothills to well into the mountains.


Range:

Synthyris missurica is found from the Blue and Wallowa Mountains of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon, south through Lake County, Oregon into Modoc County, California, and north western and northern Idaho.


Mountain Kittentails, Tailed Kittentails: Synthyris missurica ssp. missurica (Synonym: Synthyris missurica var. missurica) - Mountain Kittentails, Tailed Kittentails: Synthyris missurica ssp. missurica (Synonym: Synthyris missurica var. missurica)

Mountain kittentails in bloom along the old road up the north side of Kamiak Butte, Kamiak Butte County Park, Whitman County, Washington...........April 29, 2013.

Basal leaves of Synthyris missurica
The basal leaves of the mountain kittentails from the western edge of the Wenaha-Toucannon Wilderness of southeastern Washington..........late June, 1998.

Paul Slichter