Threeleaf Lewisia, Three-leaf Lewisia, Three-leaf Bitter-root: Lewisia triphylla (Synonyms: Claytonia triphylla, Erocallis triphylla, Oreobroma 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Additional close-ups of three-leaf lewisia as seen in moist along the Roads End Trail #201A, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness........August 18, 2011.

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.

Three-leaf lewisia as seen along the mile long trail from the Steens Mountain summit to Wildhorse Lake, Harney County, Oregon.........July 10, 2014.

Three-leaf lewisia as seen (left) along FS Road #2630 at Pisgah Meadows, along the south border of the Bridge Creek Wilderness, Ochoco National Forest.........June 13, 2015. The photo at right shows three-leaf lewisia as seen along the Round Mountain South Trail #805, on a vernally moist bald about one mile north of the south trailhead, Ochoco National Forest.........May 28, 2016.

Three-leaf lewisia as seen on vernally moist lithosol soils along the Lookout Mountain Trail #804 atop Lookout Mountain (just below the ski shelter), Ochoco National Forest.........June 25, 2017.

Three-leaf lewisia blooming at left in vernally moist swales along the Deadman Canyon Trail #1869 about half a mile north of the trailhead at the Fish Lake Campground, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.......July 18, 2019. The photo at right shows three-leaf lewisia in bloom on vernally moist soils near the north end of the Road's End Trail #201, Malheur National Forest and Strawberry Mountain Wilderness......July 7, 2023.