[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2017]

Wildflowers of Cottonwood Canyon State Park: Hard Stone Trail

Sherman County, Oregon

March 19, 2017

View upstream (south) along the east side of the John Day River from sagebrush slopes above the Hard Stone Trail, Cottonwood Canyon State Park...........March 19, 2017.

View upstream (south) along the east side of the John Day River from sagebrush slopes above the Hard Stone Trail, Cottonwood Canyon State Park...........March 19, 2017.

Additional Information for those planning to hike Cottonwood Canyon State Park:

Cottonwood Canyon Info: includes map showing BLM vs. Oregon State Park land. Even better maps are available from the BLM. http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=main.loadFile&load=_siteFiles/publications/Cottonwood101301.pdf

Cottonwood Planned Trail Development: (scroll down for planned trails) http://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PLANS/docs/masterplans/cottonwood/cottonwood-plan-maps-ch10.pdf


* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

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

Hackberry: Celtis reticulata

Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea - On steep drainages below springs on the canyon walls.

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii

Poison Ivy: Toxicodendron rydbergii

Indian Ricegrass: Achnatherum hymenoides

Cheat Grass: Bromus tectorum

Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides

Basin Wildrye: Leymus cinereus

Reed Canarygrass: Phalaris arundinacea - Along the river.

Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus - This year's leaves.

* Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica - Will be numerous in about 7-10 days.

Bicolored Cluster Lily: Triteleia grandiflora - Leaves.

Snow Buckwheat: Eriogonum niveum

Curly Dock: Rumex crispus

Veiny Dock: Rumex venosus

* Erubescent Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia rubra ssp. depressa - Numerous. Beginning to bloom.

* Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum

Western Clematis: Clematis ligusticifolia

Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum - Leaves.

* Hornseed Buttercup: Ranunculus testiculatus - Beginning to bloom.

* Blue Mustard: Chorispora tenella

* Mountain Tansymustard: Descurainia (incisa ssp. incisa ?)

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

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

Thick-leaved Thelypodium: Thelypodium milleflorum

* Fringepods: Thysanocarpus curvipes

Leiberg's Stonecrop: Sedum leibergii

Lava Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina

* Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum

* Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflorum - A few plants beginning to bloom.

* Peak Saxifrage: Micranthes nidifica - Beginning to bloom in seeps and moist drainages.

Golden Currant: Ribes aureum - Beginning to leaf out.

Antelope Bitterbrush: Purshia tridentata - Beginning to leaf out.

Pearhip Rose: Rosa (woodsii var. ultramontana ?)

* Woolly-pod Milkvetch: Astragalus purshii (var. glareosus ?) - A few plants begining to bloom.

Spured Lupine: Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus ? - Basal leaves emerging.

Chick Lupine: Lupinus microcarpus - Seedlings with perfoliate cotyledon leaves on the trail.

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium - Beginning to bloom.

Poison Hemlock: Conium maculatum - Leaves in moist, waste places.

Fernleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium dissectum var. multifidum - Only reddish stems and young foliage.

* Salt and Pepper: Lomatium gormanii

* Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum

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

Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule - In bud.

Broadfruit Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum ssp. platycarpum - Several plants in bud.

* Desert Shooting Star: Dodecatheon conjugens - Beginning to bloom. Fairly numerous on moist grassland slopes.

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis - Beginning to bloom.

Needle-leaved Phlox: Phlox aculeata - Foliage.

Long-leaf Phlox: Phlox longifolia - Foliage.

Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. alpinum - Only foliage.

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 - Leaves.

Slender Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys tenellus - Basal leaves.

Henbit: Lamium amplexicaule - In bud.

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

Common Monkeyflower: Erythranthe guttata

Dalmatium Toadflax: Linaria dalmatica - New growth.

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii var. dentatus

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

* Naked Broomrape: Orobanche uniflora var. occidentalis - Beginning to bloom in seeps amongst peak saxifrage (Micranthes nidifica)

Cleavers: Galium aparine

* White Plectritis: Plectritis macrocera - Beginning to bloom.

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium - Leaves only.

* Low Pussytoes: Antennaria dimorpha - Beginning to bloom.

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana - One plant seen beginning to bloom.

Chicory: Cichorum intybus - New basal leaf growth.

Showy Rubber Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa

Columbia Goldenweed: Ericameria resinosa

Threadleaf Fleabane: Erigeron filifolius

Cushion Fleabane: Erigeron poliospermus var. poliospermus

Gumweed: Grindelia nana var. nana

Matchbrush: Gutierrezia sarothrae

Hoary Goldaster: Heterotheca villosa var. minor

Salsify: Tragopogon dubius


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Mule Deer - Tracks & spoor.

Kestrel

Prairie Falcon at nest.

Chukar

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

Mallards

Common Crows

Ravens

Red-winged Blackbirds

American Robins

Says Phoebes

Dark-eyed Juncos

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Canyon Wrens

Violet-green Swallows

Bushtits

Western Fence Lizards (or Sagebrush Lizards)

Hairstreak (one of the green ones)

Milbert's Tortoiseshell

Mourning Cloaks


Paul Slichter