[Goldenweeds: The Genus Pyrrocoma with Discoid Flower Heads East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Columbia Goldenweed, Large-flowered Goldenweed, Rayless Goldenweed

Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides

Synonyms: Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides var. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. rigidus

Inflorescence of Columbia Goldenweed, Largeflower Goldenweed, Rayless Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides (Synonyms: Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides var. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. rigidus)

A close-up view of the flower head of large-flowered goldenweed (var. carthamoides) as seen from along the Stubblefield Trail, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge.........July4, 2018.

Involucral bracts of Columbia Goldenweed, Largeflower Goldenweed, Rayless Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides (Synonyms: Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides var. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. rigidus)The photo at right shows a close-up of the large, ovate-shaped involucral bracts of large-flowered goldenweed (var. carthamoides). Photographed in the Columbia Hills of southwestern Klickitat County, Washington..........July 7, 2006.
Characteristics:

Large-flowered goldenweed is a prostrate, perennial wildflower with one to several stems, large oblanceolate leaves, and wide flower heads surrounded by widely triangular bracts. The stems range from 5-60 cm in length. The basal leaves are tufted, spiny-toothed to entire, and generally 5-40 cm long and 5-40 mm wide. The stems may sometimes be very leafy, or instead, may show a reduction of leaf size and number up the stem.

The flower heads are solitary, yellow, and have both disk and ray flowers. The 0-30 ray flowers may not be readily noticeable, and may measure up to 7 mm long. The very numerous disk flowers range from 10-14 mm long. Blooms from late June into early August.


Habitat:

Large-flowered goldenweed can be found on rocky flats and open, rocky or gravelly slopes. It is often found mixed in with sagebrush or in forest openings.


Range:

Large-flowered goldenweed is found mostly east of the Cascade summits of Washington and Oregon, eastward to northwest Montana, central and southwest Idaho, and northeastern Nevada.


Columbia Goldenweed, Largeflower Goldenweed, Rayless Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides (Synonyms: Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides var. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. rigidus)

Large-flowered goldenweed as seen in bud on ice age flood sandbars between the Little Spokane River and Five Mile, Spokane County, WA.......June 29, 2018.

Flower head of Columbia Goldenweed, Largeflower Goldenweed, Rayless Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides (Synonyms: Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides var. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. rigidus)

The photo above shows a close-up view of the flower head of large-flowered goldenweed (var. carthamoides) as seen from the Columbia Hills of southwestern Klickitat County, Washington.........July 7, 2006.

Stem leaves and involucral bracts of Columbia Goldenweed, Largeflower Goldenweed, Rayless Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides (Synonyms: Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides var. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. rigidus)

The photo above shows a close-up of the rough, glaucous stem leaves of large-flowered goldenweed (var. carthamoides) as seen in the Columbia Hills of southwestern Klickitat County, Washington...........July 7, 2006.

Columbia Goldenweed, Largeflower Goldenweed, Rayless Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. carthamoides (Synonyms: Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides var. carthamoides, Haplopappus carthamoides ssp. rigidus)

Large-flowered goldenweed (var. carthamoides) from Hunter's Prairie, near Bear Springs R.S., Mt Hood N.F..........June 1995.

Paul Slichter