[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2011]

Logan Valley

Malheur National Forest

(includes vernally wet meadows, riparian areas, upland shrub-scrub and upland coniferous)

August 18-20, 2011

The Strawberry Mt. Range viewed from western Logan Valley.............August 20, 2011.

The Strawberry Mt. Range viewed from the moist sedge and grass meadows of western Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest.............August 20, 2011. Much of the sedge (dark heads) in the foreground is probably Carex simulata.

* indicates wildflowers currently in bloom.

Comprehensive Plant List for Logan Valley

Liverwort:

Lodgepole Pine: Pinus contorta var. latifolia

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

Mountain Alder: Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia

Quaking Aspen: Populus tremuloides

Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana ?

Field Horsetail: Equisetum arvense

* Dagger-leaved Rush: Juncus ensifolius

* Lakeshore Sedge: Carex lenticularis var. lipocarpa ? - Blooming along Big Creek.

Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri

* Nebraska Sedge: Carex nebrascensis

* Short-bead Sedge: Carex simulata

* Meadow Foxtail: Alopecurus (pratensis ?)

* Pinegrass: Calamagrostis rubescens

* Tufted Hairgrass: Deschampsia cespitosa ?

* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides

* Bigpod Mariposa: Calochortus eurycarpus - Most plants are out of bloom and beginning to set seed.

* Long-spurred Bog Orchid: Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys

* Stinging Nettles: Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis

* Parsnipflower Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides - Fading out of bloom.

* Sulfur Flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. dicrocephalum - Cream-flowered forms. Fading out of bloom.

* Prostrate Knotweed: Polygonum aviculare

Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii - Past bloom.

Curly Dock: Rumex crispus - Fruits maturing.

Brown's Peony: Paeonia brownii

Oregon Saxifrage: Saxifraga oregana - Past bloom.

Elmer's Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. elmeri - Past bloom.

Slender Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. fastigiata - Past bloom.

Antelope Bitterbrush: Purshia tridentata

* Annual Burnet: Sanguisorba occidentalis

* Birdsfoot Trefoil: Lotus corniculatus

* Prairie Lupine: Lupinus lepidus var. aridus - Fading out of bloom.

* Velvet Lupine: Lupinus leucophyllus - Fading out of bloom.

* Alfalfa: Medicago sativa - Blooming along FS Rd 16.

* Golden Clover: Trifolium aureum - Still in bloom along streams at the wildlife viewing area.

* Leat Hop Clover: Trifolium dubium

* Hansen's Clover: Trifolium longipes var. hansenii - Fading out of bloom.

* Red Clover: Trifolium pratense

* White Clover: Trifolium repens - Fading out of bloom.

Sticky Geranium: Geranium viscosissimum (var. ?) - Past bloom.

* Oregon Checkermallow: Sidalcea oregana - Fading out of bloom.

Tinker's Penny: Hypericum anagalloides - Past bloom.

* Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium

* Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum

* Purple-leaved Willowherb: Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum

* Diffuse Groundsmoke: Gayophytum diffusum (ssp. parviflorum ?)

Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayi - Past bloom.

Common Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi - Past bloom.

* Bolander's Yampah: Perideridia bolanderi ssp. bolanderi

* Rangers Buttons: Sphenoscadium capitellatum

* Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea

Alpine Pyrola: Pyrola asarifolia ssp. asarifolia - Past bloom under the alders along Big Creek.

Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium

Pleated Gentian: Gentiana affinis - In bud.

* Prairie Skyrocket: Ipomopsis aggregata - Fading out of bloom.

* Prickly Navarretia: Navarretia intertexta var. propinqua - Fading out of bloom.

* Western Polemonium: Polemonium occidentale - Blooming along Big Creek.

Purple Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpinum - Past bloom.

* Slender Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja gracillima - Fading out of bloom in western Logan Valley.

* Dalmatian Toadflax: Linaria dalmatica - Fading out of bloom.

* Common Monkeyflower: Mimulus guttatus - Past bloom except where moist.

* Yellow Owlclover: Orthocarpus luteus - Only blooming in wet meadows.

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus - Fading out of bloom.

* Thymeleaf Speedwell: Veronica serpyllifolia var. humifusa

* Northern Bedstraw: Galium boreale

* Fragrant Bedstraw: Galium triflorum - Still blooming under the willows along Big Creek.

Twinberry: Lonicera involucrata - Black fruits well-formed.

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium - Fading out of bloom.

* Pale Agoseris: Agoseris glauca var. glauca

* Leafy Arnica: Arnica chamissonis ssp. foliosa - Still blooming in wetlands along Big Creek.

* Little Sagebrush: Artemisia arbuscula (ssp. arbuscula ?)

* Douglas' Wormwood: Artemisia douglasiana

Mountain Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana - Inflorescences forming.

* Great Northern Aster: Canadanthus modestus

* Spotted Knapweed: Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos

* Green Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (ssp. ?)

* Chicory: Cichorum intybus

* Canada Thistle: Cirsium arvense

Elk Thistle: Cirsium scariosum - Past bloom.

* Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare

* Hoary Aster: Dieteria canescens var. canescens

* Showy Rubber Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa (var. speciosa ?) - Covered with butterflies.

* Showy Fleabane: Erigeron speciosus

* Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum (var. integrifolium ?)

* Blanketflower: Gaillardia aristata - Fading out of bloom.

* Marsh Cudweed: Gnaphalium palustre - Blooming where still wet.

* Idaho Gumweed: Grindelia nana var. nana

* Prickly Lettuce: Lactuca serriola - Blooming along FS Rd 16.

* Mountain Tarweed: Madia glomerata - Fading out of bloom.

* Pineapple Weed: Matricaria disoidea

* Streambank Groundsel: Packera pseudaurea var. pseudaurea - A few plants still blooming along Big Creek.

Narrowhead Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides var. cusickii - Past bloom.

Tacky Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma hirta var. hirta - Past bloom.

Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus - Going to seed.

* Tall Butterweed: Senecio serra - Fading out of bloom.

* Rocky Mountain Goldenrod: Solidago lepida var. salebrosa

* Eaton's Aster: Symphyotrichum eatonii

* Leafy Aster: Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. parryi

* Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

Yellow Salsify: Tragopogon dubius - Past bloom.


Animals Observed in the Logan Valley Area:

Coyotes - Howling at various places around the valley.

Red Squirrels

Osprey

Red-tailed Hawk - Hazed by a family of kestrels when it ventured too close to their nest.

Harrier

Kestrels - At least 3 pairs in the valley, with a pair nesting in a snag next to Big Creek Campground.

Sandhill Cranes - 2 pair plus a single bird observed together next to FS Rd 16, many others heard throughout the valley.

Long-billed Curlews - Heard at various locations across the valley.

Northern Flickers

Hairy Woodpecker

Belted Kingfisher - Heard along Big Creek.

Ravens

Nighthawks - 5 birds flying amongst the trees of Big Creek Campground at evening twilight.

Brewer's Blackbirds

Evening Grosbeaks

Robins - Numerous

Mountain Bluebirds

Western Meadowlarks

Western Wood Peewees - Calling in trees near Big Creek.

Song Sparrows

Yellow-rumped Warblers

Yellow Warblers

Townsend's Warblers

MacGillivray's Warblers

Warbling Vireos

Mountain Chickadees

Red-breasted Nuthatches

White-breasted Nuthatches

Garter Snake

Wood Nymphs - Numerous on the shrubby asteraceae.

Pine Whites - Swarms flying amongst the conifers and nectaring off almost everything still in bloom.

Milbert's Tortoiseshells

Mourning Cloaks

Fritillarys - At least 2 species, one smaller than the other.

Copper (Purplish ?)

Mosquitos - Bothersome at times.


Paul Slichter