[Goldenweeds and Rabbitbrush: The Genus Ericameria East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Greene's Goldenbush, Greene's Goldenweed, Greene's Heath Goldenrod

Ericameria greenei

Synonyms: Ericameria greenei ssp. mollis, Haplopappus bloomeri, Haplopappus bloomeri var. greenei, Haplopappus greenei, Haplopappus greenei var. greenei, Haplopappus greenei var. mollis, Macronema greenei

Greene's goldenweed as seen along Forest Road #1647 in southeastern Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest...........August 4, 2011.

Characteristics:

Greene's goldenweed is a many-branched shrub from 10-25 cm high. The herbage is generally glabrous to finely glandular. The numerous leaves are oblanceolate or spatulate, ranging from 2-6 cm long and 0.5-4 mm wide. The leaves are straight or slightly twisted.

The inflorescence generally consists of several flower heads arranged in a dense cluster at the ends of the branches. The involucre ranges from 8-12 mm high with bracts that are more leafy than those of Ericameria bloomeri. The bracts are not shingled and are glandular and sticky. The flowers are yellowish with 2-5 ray flowers, the rays ranging from 7-10 mm long) and 7-20 disk flowers. Occasionally, the rays may be absent from a flower head.

Similar Species:

Rabbitbrush Goldenweed Ericameria bloomeri - Flower heads with ray flowers, and generally with 10-20 flowers. Inflorescences with multiple flower heads of well developed plants in elongated, narrow inflorescences at the branch tips. Leaf blades generally thin, linear to thinly oblanceolate and generally not curled or very wavy. Leaves measure 2.5-4 cm long and 0.5-4 mm wide. Inflorescence is short and compact at the end of twigs. Bracts of the involucre evidently shingled.

Shrubby Goldenweed: Ericameria suffruticosa - Flower heads with ray flowers, but generally fairly large with 20-40 flowers. Leaves with crisped or curled leaf margins.

Green Rabbitbrush Ericameria viscidiflora - Flower heads entirely discoid. Leaf margins wavy or twisted. Leaf blades generally linear-filiform to linear or linear-oblong. Leaves vary from 1.5-6 cm long and 0.5-5 mm wide. Inflorescence is short and broad at the ends of the twigs.

Greene's Goldenbush, Greene's Goldenweed, Greene's Heath Goldenrod: Ericameria greenei (Synonyms: Ericameria greenei ssp. mollis, Haplopappus bloomeri, Haplopappus bloomeri var. greenei, Haplopappus greenei, Haplopappus greenei var. greenei, Haplopappus greenei var. mollis, Macronema greenei) -

Greene's goldenweed. Photographed at left above timberline at Lambertson Butte, Mt. Hood Wilderness...........August 14, 1998. The photo at right shows the leaves of Greene's goldenweed as observed on the eastern slopes of Crook Peak along the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160, Fremont-Winema National Forest......June 28, 2019.

Habitat:

Greene's goldenweed is found on cliffs and in rock crevices. It is especially abundant on the near vertical faces of basalt cliffs. It is a plant of the moderate to high elevations in the mountains, and may be found as high as 6500 feet on the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains.

Range:

Greene's goldenweed is found from the Cascade crest in Washington, Oregon, and into northern California (Modoc County). Its range extends east to the Wallowa Mts. of northeastern Oregon and into the mountains of central Idaho.

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Greene's goldenweed observed along FS Road 3915 in the Bald Hills of the Mt. Bidwell Recreation Area, Fremont-Winema National Forest.........July 31, 2020.

Additional close-up photos of Greene's goldenweed as seen along Forest Road #1647 in southeastern Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest............August 4, 2011.

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Greene's goldenweed blooming at left and center at a bald along the lower half of the Lick Creek Trail #231, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area......August 11, 2018. The photo at right shows the narrowly oblanceolate leaves of Greene's goldenweed seen at the same location as the other two photos, but on July 17, 2019.

Greene's goldenweed observed beginning to bloom along the Fremont National Recreation Trail#160 on the west-facing slopes of Twelvemile Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest.......August 2, 2020.

Greene's goldenweed observed along the Fremont National Recreation Trail #160 on the west side of Twelvemile Peak, Fremont-Winema National Forest......July 16, 2022.

- Flower head of Greene's Goldenbush, Greene's Goldenweed, Greene's Heath Goldenrod: Ericameria greenei (Synonyms: Ericameria greenei ssp. mollis, Haplopappus bloomeri, Haplopappus bloomeri var. greenei, Haplopappus greenei, Haplopappus greenei var. greenei, Haplopappus greenei var. mollis, Macronema greenei)

Greene's goldenweed from slopes above Elk Meadows, Mt. Hood Wilderness..........August 14, 1998. Note the wide leaves and leafy bracts.

Paul Slichter