[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2014]

Wildflower Bloom Along the South Loop Road

from the Rooster Comb Gate uphill to where the road reaches the top of the Rooster Comb

Steens Mountain Recreational Lands

July 9, 2014

Wildflower Bloom at the Rooster Comb, Steens Mountain Recreation Area........July 9, 2014.

Sticky paintbrush (Castilleja applegatei var. pinetorum) and tapertip hawksbeard (Crepis acuminata) bloom amongst the mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana) as seen along the South Loop Road at the top of the Rooster Comb, Steens Mountain.......July 9, 2014.

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Sticky Laurel: Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus

Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany: Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

* Mountain Brome: Bromus carinatus ssp. marginatus

Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum - Seeds maturing along the road at the lower end of the Rooster Comb.

* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (ssp. californicus ?)

Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa - Disturbed ground along the road at the lower end of the Rooster Comb.

* Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum

* Wyeth Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracloides var. heracloides

* Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. anserinum

* Sulfur-flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. nevadense

* Prostrate Knotweed: Polygonum arenastrum (P. aviculare)

* Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii

Lamb's Quarters: Chenopodium album - Along the road at the Rooster Comb.

* Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum - Past bloom.

Nuttall's Sandwort: Minuartia nuttallii var. fragilis - Past bloom.

Brown's Peony: Paeonia brownii - Fruits well-formed.

Heartleaf Jewelflower: Streptanthus cordatus - Fruits forming.

Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum

* Roundleaf Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina

* Desert Spray: Holodiscus dumosus var. glabrescens - Beginning to bloom.

* Tailcup Lupine: Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus

Goosefoot Violet: Viola purpurea var. venosa

* White-stemmed Mentzelia: Mentzelia (albicaulis ?)

* Diamond Clarkia: Clarkia rhomboidea

* Diffuse Groundsmoke: Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum

Fern-leaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium dissectum var. multifidum - Fruits well developed.

* Linanthastrum: Leptosiphon nuttallii

* Brewer's Navarretia: Navarretia breweri

Hood's Phlox: Phlox (hoodii ?) - Past bloom.

* Purple Phacelia: Phacelia hastata var. alpina

Broadleaf Bluebells: Mertensia ciliata - Past bloom.

* Nettle-leaved Horsemint: Agastache urticifolia

Mountain Balm: Monardella odoratissima - Beginning to bloom at the lower end of the Rooster Comb.

* Snapdragon Skullcap: Scutellaria antirrhinoides

* Wavyleaf Paintbrush: Castilleja applegatei var. pinetorum

* Steen's Mountain Penstemon: Penstemon davidsonii var. praeteritus - Fading out of bloom.

* Hotrock Penstemon: Penstemon deustus var. pedicellatus - Fading out of bloom.

* Showy Penstemon: Penstemon speciosus - Blooming at the upper end of the Rooster Comb.

* Shrubby Bedstraw: Galium multiflorum

* Kelloggia: Kelloggia galioides

Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea - In bud.

Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos oreophilus

* Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca

Low Sagebrush: Artemisia arbuscula - In bud.

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata var. vaseyana - In bud.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza sagittata - Past bloom. Some plants with several flower heads per stem.

Gray Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa - In bud.

* Dusty Maidens: Chaenactis douglasii var. douglasii - Beginning to bloom.

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

* Gray-green Thistle: Cirsium cymosum var. canovirens ?

* Steens Mt Thistle: Cirsium peckii

* Tapertip Hawksbeard: Crepis (acuminata ?)

* Rayless Daisy: Erigeron inornatus var. inornatus - Beginning to bloom.

* Orange Sneezeweed: Dugaldia hoopesii

Narrowleaf Goldenweed: Nestotus stenophyllus - Past bloom.

* Howell's Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma howellii

* Butterweed Groundsel: Senecio serra

* Yellow Salsify: Tragopogon dubius


Animals Seen Along This Route:

Mule Deer

Belding Ground Squirrels

(Least ?) Chipmunks

Sierra Nevada Ground Squirrels

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Green-tailed Towhees

(Mountain ?) Chickadee - heard

Bushtits - In Mt. Mahogany at the Rooster Comb.

Chalcedona Checkerspot

Orange Sulfur ?

Blues

Yellowjackets


Paul Slichter