[Hawksbeards: The Genus Crepis East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]
Low Hawksbeard, Modoc Hawksbeard
Crepis modocensis
Synonyms: Crepis modocensis ssp. modocensis, Crepis modocensis ssp. rostrata, Crepis modocensis ssp. subacaulis
The photo above shows low hawksbeard as seen on the south-facing slopes of Selah Butte, several miles northeast of Selah Washington...........April 24, 2007.
Photo at right of Crepis modocensis ssp rostrata from Douglas Creek,
Douglas County, central Washington..........May 3, 1998.
Characteristics:
Low hawksbeard is long taprooted perennial with broad dandelion-like leaves. The leaves are largely basal, about 7 to 25 cm in length, deeply pinnatified with lanceolate, toothed or once again pinnatified segments. Plants covered with short, whitish-silver, felt-like hairs. One to four erect stems have one to nine wide flower heads, each with ten to sixty ray flowers . Flower heads yellow, dandelion-like. Low Hawksbeard is commonly 10 to 30 cm (to 6 inches) tall.
Habitat:
Low hawksbeard is typically found on open, dry (often rocky) slopes from the lowlands to moderate altitude in the mountains. It is commonly found in conjunction with rigid sagebrush and one of the balsamroots.
Range:
Low hawksbeard is found from southern British Columbia, south along the east base of the Cascades and Sierra to southern California, east to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
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Low hawksbeard as seen along US Highway 97 at a pass about a dozen miles northwest of Ellensburg, Washington.........June 9, 2011.
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Low hawksbeard as seen along the Gray Butte Trail #852, Crooked River National Grasslands.......May 20, 2017.
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Low hawksbeard as seen near the eastern crest of the Hart Mt. ridgeline several miles west of Hot Springs Campground, Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge.........June 9, 2016.
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These photos show 4 different views of low hawksbeard. Photographed on the south-facing slopes of Selah Butte, several miles northeast of Selah Washington..........April 24, 2007.
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Low hawksbeard growing on cindery slopes atop Domingo Pass, Pueblo Mountains of southeastern Oregon................May 31, 2012.
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Modoc hawksbeard blooming on scablands about one-quarter of a mile uphill to the west of Wenas Campground, Yakima County, WA........May 24, 2019.
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Modoc hawksbeard observed on scabland soils around Manastash Observatory, Kittitas County, WA......June, 4, 2023.
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Low hawksbeard as seen on scablands atop Bickleton Ridge in the Bickleton Ridge Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area..........June 17, 2017. The photo at lower right was taken in the same area on May 7, 2017.
What appears to be low hawksbeard as observed along the Twin Pillars Trail #832 about half a mile south of the trailhead at Bingham Springs, Mill Creek Wilderness......May 25, 2018.
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Low hawksbeard in bloom on scablands at the south rim of Umtanum canyon above Umtanum Falls, Yakima County, WA.......May 25, 2019.
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Modoc hawksbeard blooming atop Light Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest.....June 29, 2019.
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Low hawksbeard as seen along the Gray Butte Trail #852, Crooked River National Grasslands.......May 31, 2018.
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Low hawksbeard blooming along the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 on the eastern slopes of Crook Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest........June 28, 2019.
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Low hawksbeard in bud on scabland slopes above Dry Creek about one mile upstream from Wenas Creek, DNR lands in Yakima County, WA......May 29, 2022.
Low hawksbeard observed along
the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 on the west side of Twelvemile Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest......July 16, 2022.
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Crepis modocensis ssp. rostrata from Douglas Creek, Douglas County, central Washington..........May 3, 1998.
Paul Slichter