Wildflower Bloom Reports for Central Oregon

Wildflower Bloom in Central Oregon:

July 6, 2004

North Steens Mt. Loop Road

1/4 mile below its intersection with the Kiger Gorge Overlook Access Rd


This list was compiled within 50 meters of the following GPS reading:

N 42* 42.035' ---- W118* 34.877' ---- Elevation: 8769' --- +/- 16'

Other than the upper parts of the cliffs in the cirques and some steeper north-facing slopes, the ground along the summit ridge of the Steens Mt is largely snow free. Bloom above the Fish Creek Headwaters and atop the top of the summit ridge is just beginning.


* indicates flowers currently in bloom

*1. Oval-leaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum ovalifolium var. depressum

2. Sulfur-flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. dicrocephalum - In bud.

*3. American Bistort: Polygonum bistortoides

*4. Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum

*5. Lewisia: Lewisia nevadensis

*6. Lewisia: Lewisia triphylla

*7. Prickly Sandwort: Arenaria aculeata - This is a plant to be careful of kneeling upon while photographing other plants!

*8. Mountain Sandwort: Arenaria capillaris var. americana

*9. Snow Buttercup: Ranunculus eschscholtzii

*10. Sicklepod Rockcress: Arabis sparsiflora var. sparsiflora

*11. Slender Draba: Draba albertina

*12. Steens Draba: Draba cusickii var. cusickii

*13. Bulblet Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum

*14. Slender Woodland Star: Lithophragma tenellum

*15. Bog Saxifrage: Saxifraga oregana

*16. Brewer's Cinquefoil: Potentilla brewerii ?

*17. Diverse-leaved Cinquefoil: Potentilla diversifolia

*18. Fan-leaved Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis

*19. Varying Cinquefoil: Potentilla versicolor

*20. Prairie Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii

*21. Long-stalked Clover: Trifolium longipes var. shastense

*22. Dark-throated Shooting Star: Dodecatheon pulchellum

*23. Small-flowered Gymnosteris: Gymnosteris parvula

*24. Orange Sneezeweed: Dugaldia hoopesii

*25. Cut-leaved Daisy: Erigeron compositus var. glabratus (Both discoid and with rays.)

*26. Dwarf Mountain Butterweed: Senecio fremontii - In bud.


Animals Seen at Kiger Gorge:

1. Horned Larks

2. 2 Ravens

3. 2 female Pronghorn Antelope, one with twin offspring

4. Numerous butterfly species


Paul Slichter