Austin's Small-flowered Nemophila, Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. austiniae (Synonym: Nemophila parviflora var. austinae)

Austin's small-flowered nemophila as seen at Tin Cup Springs on the northwestern slopes of Calamity Butte, Malheur National Forest........July 18, 2010.

Also known as small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's nemophila is a small, easy to miss wildflower with prostrate or procumbent stems from 5-15 cm long. The leaves are mostly opposite, ovate, and pinnately 5-7 parted with the blade longer than the leaf stem. The leaf blades range from 1-3.5 cm long and .8-2.5 cm wide and the lower lobes are often as large or larger than the terminal lobe. The blades are sparsely covered with appressed hairs.

The flowers as the species name parviflora indicate are small, ranging from 2-5 mm wide. The pedicels measure 2-15 mm long while in flower, and up to 3 cm long in fruit. The flowers are short, tubular and 5-petaled with white or lavender coloration. The corolla is about equal to or slightly longer than the bristle-edged calyx lobes and measures 3-3.5 mm long.

variety austinae: The leaves are all opposite on the stems, and they are firmer, smaller in size, and less deeply cleft (See photo at right.). Found at moderate and higher elevations on the east side of the Cascades.

variety parviflora: The leaves are usually opposite on the stems, but some of the upper leaves may be alternate. The leaves tend to be thin and deeply cleft, with the lobes often toothed or narrowed at their bases. Found at lower altitudes on the west side of the Cascades.

Wood's nemophila may be found on wooded slopes or other shady places from the valleys to moderate elevations in the mountains.

Wood's nemophila may be found from southern British Columbia south to California and east to central Idaho and northern Utah.

Additional photos of Austin's small-flowered nemophila as seen at Tin Cup Springs on the northwestern slopes of Calamity Butte, Malheur National Forest.........July 18, 2010.

The photo above shows a close-up of a leaf blade of austin's small-flowered nemophila as seen at the Ray Ridge Viewpoint in the Umatilla National Forest of southeastern Washington........June 25, 2007.

The photo above left shows austin's small-flowered nemophila (var. austinae) from the south loop road(below the Rooster Comb) on the Steens Mt, southeastern Oregon.......June 23, 1999. Note the leaves which are less cleft or lobed than in variety parviflora. The photo at right shows austin's small-flowered nemophila as seen along FS Road #38-200 several miles southeast of Spanish Peak, Ochoco National Forest.........June 14, 2015

Austin's small-flowered nemophila beginning to bloom at left in vernally moist swales along the northwestern portion of the Ponderosa Loop Trail near the Ochoco Divide, Ochoco National Forest......May 19, 2018. The photo at right shows both Austin's small-flowered nemophila and Great Basin nemophila (Nemophila breviflora) along the Hanan Trail #142, Fremont-Winema National Forest.......June 17, 2020.

Austin's small-flowered nemophila beginning to senesce as observed on vernally moist balds along the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 on the east-facing slopes of Crook Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest......July 17, 2022.