[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2015]

Wildflowers of Rim Country & Riparian Areas Along the South Fork Crooked River

T18S R22E S11 & S12

Northern Boundary of the South Fork Crooked River Wilderness Study Area

BLM lands from Sulphur Spring southwestward along a ridge crest to within 1/2 mile of Sulphur Buttes

October 24, 2015

The South Fork Crooked River about one mile north of the boundary with the South Fork Crooked River Wilderness Study Area........October 24, 2015.

A view south along the riparian area of the South Fork Crooked River about one mile north of the northern boundary of the South Fork Crooked River Wilderness Study Area.........October 24, 2015. Note the lack of woody vegetation growing in the riparian zone. ONDA plans to plant these low riparian benches either in 2016 or 2017 to help begin restoring them to a more natural state.

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

Coyote Willow: Salix exigua var. exigua

Scouring Rush: Equisetum hyemale var. affine

Thurber's Needlegrass: Achnatherum thurberianum ?

Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum

Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (var. ?)

Great Basin Wildrye: Leymus cinereus

Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda (ssp. secunda ?)

Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus

Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica

Panicled Deathcamas: Toxicoscordion paniculatum

Parsnipflower Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides

Rock Buckwheat: Eriogonum sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum

Goose Lake Wild Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. anserinum or Oval-leaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum ovalifolium var. ?

Sulphur Flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum (var. ellipticum ?)

Mountain Sandwort: Eremogone capillaris var. americana

Douglas' Campion: Silene (douglasii var. douglasii ?)

Pale Alyssum: Alyssum (alyssoides ?)

Sicklepod Rockcress: Boechera sparsiflora

Daggerpods: Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides

Sickle Milkvetch: Astragalus curvicarpus var. curvicarpus

Threadstalk Milkvetch: Astragalus filipes

Woollypod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii (var. ?)

Tailcup Lupine: Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus

Largeflowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora

Hood's Phlox: Phlox hoodii ?

Bushy Birdbeak: Cordylanthus ramosus

Low Penstemon: Penstemon humilis var. humilis

Gay Penstemon: Penstemon laetus var. sagittatus or Narrow-leaved Penstemon: Penstemon seorsus ?

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

Low Pussytoes: Antennaria dimorpha

Low Sagebrush: Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula - Past bloom.

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata - Past bloom.

* Lanceleaf Green Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus var. lanceolatus ? - Fading out of bloom.

* Sticky-flowered Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus var. viscidiflorus - Fading out of bloom.

Gray Hawksbeard: Crepis intermedia

Western Hawksbeard: Crepis occidentalis

* Showy Rubber Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa - Larger shrub. Fading out of bloom.

Mountain Rubber Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila ? - Smaller shrub.

Threadleaf Fleabane: Erigeron filifolius

Yellow Desert Daisy: Erigeron linearis

Woolly Groundsel: Packera cana

Alkali Marsh Butterweed: Senecio hydrophilus ?

Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus

Salsify: Tragopogon dubius


Animals Seen Along This Route:

Coyote - Tracks

Feral Horses - 2 groups (4 & 9 horses respectively)

Mule Deer - Tracks

Western Cottontail

Cooper's Hawk

California Quail

Western Meadowlark

American Robins

Towsend's Solitaires

Dark-eyed Juncos


Paul Slichter