[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2011]

Wildflower Bloom in the Monument Rock Wilderness

Malheur National Forest

August 2, 2011

View south along the crest of the Monument Rock Wilderness towards Bullrun Rock (left) and Monument Rock (center right) from the Table Rock.......August 2, 2011.

A view south along the crest of the Monument Rock Wilderness towards Bullrun Rock (high point on the horizon at left) and Monument Rock (on the horizon at just right of center)............August 2, 2011. An old road (closed to vehicles) crosses the wilderness towards Bullrun Rock to aid foot traffic. Cross country hiking is slowed by the rolling terrain and numerous sagebrush which limit navigation in a straight line.
The plants on this list were seen around the outcrop which holds the Table Rock lookout, along the trail towards Bullrun Rock, and along the upper mile and one-half of FS Road #1370 below Table Rock.
* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

A more complete listing of the flora of the Monument Rock Wilderness.

Grand Fir: Abies grandis

Subalpine Fir: Abies lasiocarpa

Western Larch: Larix occidentalis

Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta var. latifolia

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

* Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri

* Small-winged Sedge: Carex microptera ?

* Sedge: Carex sp.

* Sedge: Carex sp.

* Raynold's Sedge: Carex raynoldsii

* Needlegrass: Achnatherum sp.

* Orchard Grass: Dactylis glomerata - Seen along FS Rd 1370.

* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides

* Prairie Junegrass: Koeleria macrantha - Along FS Rd 1370.

Tolmie's Onion: Allium tolmiei - Going to seed.

Panicled Deathcamas: Toxicoscordion paniculatum - Going to seed.

* Western Blue Flag: Iris missouriensis

* Piper's Golden Buckwheat: Eriogonum flavum var. piperi

* Wyeth Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides

* Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii

* Sorrel: Rumex crispus or R. salicifolius ?

* Alpine Knotweed: Aconogonon phytolaccifolium var. phytolaccifolium

* Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum

* Nevada Lewisia: Lewisia nevadensis

* Stinging Nettles: Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis

* Prickly Sandwort: Eremogone aculeata

* Oregon Silene: Silene oregana

* Red Sandspurry: Spergularia rubra

Sugarbowls: Clematis hirsutissima - Plumed fruits maturing.

* Dwarf Larkspur: Delphinium depauperatum

* Holboell's Rock Cress: Arabis holboellii (var. ?) - Narrow leaves.

Rockcress: Arabis sp. - w/ drooping pods

Dagger Pod: Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides (In fruit)

* Lance-leaf Stonecrop: Sedum lanceolatum var. lanceolatum

* Roundleaf Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina

* Wax Current: Ribes cereum var. cereum - Fading out of bloom.

Mountain Prickly Currant: Ribes montigenum

Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia (var. ?)

* Prairie Smoke: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum - Fading out of bloom.

* Sticky Cinquefoil: Potentilla glandulosa (var. nevadensis ?)

Elmer's Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. elmeri

* Graceful Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. fastigiata

* Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus

Goosefoot Violet: Viola purpurea ssp. venosa

False Mermaid: Floerkea prosperpinacoides

Mountain Hollyhock: Ilamnia rivularis

* Oregon Checkermallow: Sidalcea oregana

* Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium

* Nuttall's Groundsmoke: Gayophytum diffusum var. parviflorum

* Mountain Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi

Sierra Snake Root: Sanicula graveolens

Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium

* Narrow-leaved Collomia: Collomia linearis

* Skyrocket: Ipomopsis aggregata

* Harkness' Linanthus: Leptosiphon harknessii

Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis

* Mountain Navarettia: Navarettia divaricata

* Hood's Phlox: Phlox hoodii ?

Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium californicum

Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. capitatum

Purple Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpina

* Cryptanth: Cryptantha sp.- Tiny flowers.

* Blue Stickseed: Hackelia micrantha

* Wavyleaf Paintbrush: Castilleja applegatei (var. pinetorum ?)

* Glandular Paintbrush: Castilleja glandulifera

* Linearleaf Paintbrush: Castilleja linariifolia

Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

* Brewer's Monkeyflower: Mimulus breweri

* Lewis' Monkeyflower: Mimulus lewisii

* Taper-leaved Penstemon: Penstemon attenuatus var. palustris (or attenuatus ?)

* Shrubby Penstemon: Penstemon fruticosus var. fruticosus

Lanceleaf Figwort: Scrophularia lanceolata - In bud.

* Mountain Snow Berry: Symphoricarpos oreophilus

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca

Large-flowered Agoseris: Agoseris grandiflora

* Umber Pussytoes: Antennaria umbrinella - white with round-tipped bracts, leafy stems.

* Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria microphylla

Western Wormwood: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. candicans

Mountain Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana (flower buds forming)

Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare - Along FS Rd 1370

* Long-leaved Hawksbeard: Crepis acuminata

* Slender Hawksbeard: Crepis atribarba ?

Green Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (ssp. ?) - In bud.

* Cutleaf Daisy: Erigeron compositus var. discoidea

* Eaton's Shaggy Fleabane: Erigeron eatonii var. villosus

* Yellow Desert Daisy: Erigeron linearis

Showy Fleabane: Erigeron speciosus - In bud.

* Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum var. integrifolium

Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri

* Nodding Microseris: Microseris nutans

* Woolly Groundsel: Packera cana

Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus - Past bloom.

* Butterweed Groundsel: Senecio serra var. serra

* Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale (Found primarily along the old road through the wilderness.)

Animals Seen Along this Route:

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels

Red-tailed Hawks

Mountain Bluebirds

Dark-eyed Juncos

Rock Wrens

Hummingbirds (Annas?) - Numerous, fighting for possesion of the paintbrushes and skyrockets.

Pale Tiger Swallowtails

Western Tiger Swallowtails

Fritillarys

West Coast Ladies

Blues

Flower-filled sagebrush slopes at the crest of the Monument Rock Wilderness...........August 2, 2011. - View from Table Rock (Monument Rock Wilderness) northeast towards the Elkhorn Mountains..........August 2, 2011.

View west from Table Rock (Monument Rock Wilderness) towards the Strawberry Wilderness..............August 2, 2011. - Table Rock Lookout, Monument Rock Wilderness.............August 2, 2011.

Flower-filled sagebrush slopes (photo at upper left) near the crest of the Monument Rock Wilderness...........August 2, 2011. The red flower is narrow-leaved paintbrush (Castilleja linariifolia). At upper right is the view northeast towards the town of Unity (in the lowlands) and the Elkhorn Mountains. The photo at lower left shows the view (across fire damaged forests) towards the Strawberry Wilderness on the far horizon. The upper John Day valley can be seen on the horizon at right. The photo at lower right shows the lookout atop Table Rock where all these photos were taken. It's a bumpy ride, but most passenger vehicles can drive to the lookout, or one can park at the trailhead into the wilderness and walk along the road to the top.
Paul Slichter