[The Genus Lewisia East of the Cascade Mts.]
Three-leaf Lewisia

Lewisia triphylla

The photo above shows a cluster of three-leaf lewisia as seen in moist meadows at Memaloose along Hat Point Road, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in northeastern Oregon................June 28, 2007.
The photo at right shows three-leaf Lewisia as seen at Jackman Park Campground, Steens Mt., southeastern Oregon........August 3, 1995.
Characteristics:

Three-leaf Lewisia is a diminutive perennial wildflower with one to several stems rising 1-10 cm from a deep, rounded corm. The 2-3 leaves are opposite or whorled and usually found attached to the stem at the ground line or slightly above (as in the individual at right). The leaves are narrowly linear in shape and 1-6 cm long.

The 1-20 flowers are in panicles or in an umbel-like cluster at the tip of the stems. The 2 sepals are oval in shape with rounded to obtuse tips, 2--5 mm long. The 5-10 petals are white or with pink veins. They measure 4-8 mm long. Five stamens are usually present.

Habitat:

Three-leaf Lewisia may be found on moist, sandy to heavy soils which dry in summer. They are found in open areas, amongst sagebrush, within open ponderosa pine forests, and in subalpine areas.

Range:

Three-leaf Lewisia may be found from eastern Washington south to the east of the Cascade Mts. to California and east to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. It is also found in the Siskiyou Mts. of southwestern Oregon.

Flower of Lewisia triphylla

This photo shows a close-up of the flower of three-leaf lewisia as seen on moist soils (where the snow has just melted) at Buckhorn Lookout on the western edge of the Imnaha Canyon in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest..................June 27, 2008.

The photo above shows three-leaf lewisia as seen in moist meadows at Memaloose along Hat Point Road, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in northeastern Oregon................June 28, 2007.

The photo above shows a close-up of the flowers of three-leaf lewisia as seen in moist meadows at Memaloose along Hat Point Road, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in northeastern Oregon................June 28, 2007.

The photo above shows three-leaf lewisia as seen in moist meadows at Memaloose along Hat Point Road, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in northeastern Oregon................June 28, 2007.
Paul Slichter