[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2016]

Wildflowers of Cottonwood Canyon State Park: Pinnacles Trail

Sherman County, Oregon

March 18, 2016

View downstream along the John Day River from the rim of the canyon, west of the Day Use Area, Cottonwood Canyon State Park...........March 18, 2016.

View downstream along the John Day River from the rim of the canyon, west of the Day Use Area, Cottonwood Canyon State Park...........March 18, 2016.

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Cowpie Lichen: Diploschistes (muscorum ?)

Lacelip Fern: Cheilanthes gracillima

Fragile Fern Cystopteris fragilis ? - No dried stems from previous year at base.

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

* Cheat Grass: Bromus tectorum

Reed Canarygrass: Phalaris arundinacea - Along the river.

Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

* Nevada Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia - Beginning to bloom.

Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus

* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica - Numerous, but fading out of bloom on the higher, north-facing slopes which are grassier.

* Bicolored Cluster Lily: Triteleia grandiflora - The white variety. A few plants beginning to bloom. Many in bud. This seems to be the zone of transition from one coloration to the other (white -west and blue-east).

Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. proliferum

Bitterroot: Lewisia rediviva - Leaves only.

* Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum

* Hornseed Buttercup: Ranunculus testiculatus - Beginning to bloom.

* Blue Mustard: Chorispora tenella

* Mountain Tansymustard: Descurainia incisa ssp. incisa

* Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna - Numerous bloom.

Scale Pod: Idahoa scapigera - Pods forming.

Tall Tumblemustard: Sisymbrium altissimum - Last year's stems.

Fringepods: Thysanocarpus curvipes - Pods developing.

* Bulblet Prairie Star: Lithophragma bulbifera - Past peak bloom.

* Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum

* Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflorum

Glabrous Sickle Milkevetch: Astragalus curvicarpus var. subglaber - Well developed plants, but no sign of flowers yet.

* Woolly-pod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii (var. glareosus ?) - Pods visible from last year. Short and relatively straight.

Lupine: Lupinus sp. (Not L. leucophyllus.)

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium

* Canby's Desert Parsley: Lomatium canbyi - Past peak bloom on upper balds.

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium gormanii - Fading out of bloom.

* Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium grayi - Full bloom.

* Henderson's Desert Parsley: Lomatium hendersonii

* Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum - Cream-flowered form. A few plants in bloom.

* Broadfruit Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum ssp. platycarpum

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis - Fading out of bloom.

* Needle-leaved Phlox: Phlox aculeata - Beginning to bloom.

* Hood's Phlox: Phlox hoodii - Beginning to bloom.

* Small-flowered Polemonium: Polemonium micranthum

Changeable Scorpionweed: Phacelia mutabilis - Leaves in low mound about 2' in diameter. Numerous stems about 1' tall and equal in size. Leaves all lobed at base of terminal, larger blade.

* Rancher's Fireweed: Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia

* Slender Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys tenellus

* Naked Broomrape: Orobanche uniflora (var. occidentalis ?)

* Cleavers: Galium aparine - Beginning to bloom amongst talus.

* White Plectritis: Plectritis macrocera

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium - Leaves only.

* Low Pussytoes: Antennaria dimorpha - Beginning to bloom.

Stiff Sagebrush: Artemisia rigida

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana - Still early in the bloom period.

Slender Hawksbeard: Crepis atribarba

Showy Rubber Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa

Columbia Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa

Threadleaf Fleabane: Erigeron filifolius

Yellow Desert Daisy: Erigeron linearis

Cushion Fleabane: Erigeron poliospermus var. poliospermus

Matchbrush: Gutierrezia sarothrae

Hoary Goldaster: Heterotheca villosa (var. ?)

False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides - In bud.

Salsify: Tragopogon dubius


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Bighorn Sheep - About 20 ewes spotted along the ridgeline above the Pinnacles Trail.

Mule Deer - Tracks

Kestrel

Canada Geese - Along the banks of the John Day River.

Mallards

Ring-necked Pheasants - A cock calling near the campground.

Killdeer

Ravens

Western Meadowlarks

American Robins

Townsend's Solitaire

Rock Wrens

Violet-green Swallows


Paul Slichter