[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2017]

Steins Pillar Trail #837

Ochoco National Forest

May 21, 2017

Steins Pillar, Ochoco National Forest.......May 21, 2017.

Steins Pillar, Ochoco National Forest........May 21, 2017.


Weather: Temperatures in the mid 60s in the morning climbing to the low 70s by the afternoon. Skies were mostly sunny.


* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

California White Fir: Abies concolor x Abies grandis - In forest near Steins Pillar.

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

Western Larch: Larix occidentalis - In forest just south of Steins Pillar.

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

Oregon Boxwood: Paxistima myrsinites - In bud.

Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana

Fragile Fern: Cystopteris fragilis

Common Duckweed: Lemna minor - In first creek crossing adjacent to trailhead.

* Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri

* Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum

Onespike Oatgrass: Danthonia unispicata ?

Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides

Idaho Fescue: Festuca idahoensis

* Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

* Nevada Bluegrass: Poa secunda var. juncifolia

* Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda var. secunda

Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

* Desert Fescue: Vulpia microstachys ?

* Tolmie's Onion: Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei

Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus

* Mission Bells: Fritillaria atropurpurea - Beginning to bloom.

False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule ? - In bud. Blooming in a day or so.

* Roughfruit Fairybells: Prosartes trachycarpa

* Panicled Deathcamas: Toxicoscordion paniculatum

California False Hellebore: Veratrum (californicum var. californicum ?)

Western Blue Flag: Iris missouriensis - Meadows along creek near trailhead.

Alaska Rein Orchid: Platanthera (unalascensis ?) - Basal leaves.

Juniper Mistletoe: Phoradendron juniperinum

Northern Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum - In bud.

Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. anserinum

Sulfur Flower Buckwheat: Eriogonum umbellatum var. modocense

* Streambank Springbeauty: Claytonia parviflora ?

* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana

* Erubescent Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia rubra ssp. rubra

Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum - Past bloom.

Menzies' Catchfly: Silene menziesii

Western Columbine: Aquilegia formosa - In bud.

* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum var. nuttallianum

Sagebrush Buttercup: Ranunculus glaberrimus var. glaberrimus - Past bloom.

* Creeping Oregon Grape: Berberis repens

Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum var. stenopetalum - A few plants in bud.

* Desert Alyssum: Alyssum desertorum

* Hairystem Rockcress: Boechera pauciflora

* Secund Rockcress: Boechera retrofracta

* Thread-stalk Cutleaf Tansymustard: Descurainia longipedicellata

* Spring Whitlow Grass: Draba verna

* Rough Wallflower: Erysimum capitatum var. capitatum

Scale Pod: Idahoa scapigera - Pods are ripe.

Roundleaf Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina - Along trail near Steins Pillar.

* Bulblet Prairie Star: Lithophragma bulbifera

* Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflorum

Three-toothed Mitrewort: Mitella trifida

Wax Currant: Ribes cereum var. cereum

* Sticky Currant: Ribes viscosissimum - Along stream about one-half mile south of Steins Pillar.

* Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia var.alnifolia

Mountain Mahogany: Cercocarpus ledifolius var. ledifolius - Past bloom.

Valley Cinquefoil: Drymocallis convallaria - Only leaves.

* Wood's Strawberry: Fragaria vesca var. bracteata

* Broadpetal Strawberry: Fragaria virginiana var. platypetala

* Prairie Smoke: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum - Beginning to bloom.

* Bittercherry: Prunus emarginata var. emarginata

* Antelope Bitterbrush: Purshia tridentata

Baldhip Rose: Rosa gymnocarpa

Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus - Just leafing out.

* Tailcup Lupine: Lupinus argenteus var. heteranthus

* Bighead Clover: Trifolium macrocephalum

Western Blue Flax: Linum lewisii var. lewisii

Snowbrush: Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus - In bud.

* Whitestem Mentzelia: Mentzelia albicaulis

Fireweed: Chamerion angustifolium

Diamond Clarkia: Clarkia rhomboidea - Only leaves so far.

Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum

* Donnell's Lomatium: Lomatium donnellii

* Large-fruit Desert Parsley: Lomatium macrocarpum

* Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule

* Pungent Desert Parsley: Lomatium pap

* Nineleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum ssp. platycarpum

* Nineleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum

* Broad-sheath Desert Parsley: Lomatium vaginatum

Common Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi

Green-leaf Manzanita: Arctostaphylos patula - Past bloom. Shrub.

Prince's Pine: Chimaphila umbellata - Forest near Steins Pillar.

Sidebells Wintergreen: Orthilia secunda ? - Basal leaves.

White-vein Wintergreen: Pyrola picta

Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea - Last year's stalks.

Spreading Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium (var. ?) - Leaves emerging from ground.

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis

* Spreading Phlox: Phlox diffusa

* Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. alpinum

Variedleaf Phacelia: Phacelia heterophylla ssp. virgata - In bud.

* Linearleaf Phacelia: Phacelia linearis

* Puccoon: Lithospermum ruderale

Blue Scorpionweed: Myosotis micrantha - In bud.

* Wavyleaf Paintbrush: Castilleja applegatei var. pinetorum

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

Hotrock Penstemon: Penstemon deustus var. variabilis

Shrubby Penstemon: Penstemon fruticosus var. fruticosus - In bud near the Steins Pillar viewpoint.

Lowly Penstemon: Penstemon humilis - In bud.

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

* Naked Broomrape: Orobanche uniflora var. occidentalis

Annual Bedstraw: Galium aparine

* White Plectritis: Plectritis macrocera

Twinflower: Linnaea borealis

Orange Honeysuckle: Lonicera ciliosa

Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus

Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos oreophilus

American Harebell: Campanula rotundifolia

* Annual Agoseris: Agoseris heterophylla

Spearleaf Agoseris: Agoseris retrorsa - In bud.

Low Pussytoes: Antennaria dimorpha - Past bloom.

* Woodrush Pussytoes: Antennaria luzuloides (var. ?)

* Heartleaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana - Fading out of bloom.

* Arrowleaf Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza sagittata - Fading out of bloom. Some hybrids are here too. Plants were thinly silvery, had multiple flower heads and sticky to the touch.

Intermountain Thistle: Cirsium inamoenum var. inamoenum - Basal leaves.

Wavyleaf Thistle: Cirsium undulatum

Slender Hawksbeard: Crepis atribarba

* Baker's Hawksbeard: Crepis bakeri

Western Hawksbeard: Crepis occidentalis ?

Gray Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa (var. speciosa ?)

Yellow Desert Daisy: Erigeron linearis - In bud.

* Least Tarweed: Hemizonella minima

White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum

Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri

Nodding Microseris: Microseris nutans

Scots Thistle: Onopordum acanthium - Basal leaves.

Woolly Groundsel: Packera cana - In bud.

* Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale - At trailhead.

Salsify: Tragopogon dubius


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Downy or Hairy Woodpeckers - Heard

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Steller's Jays

Raven

Spotted Towhee

Western Tanagers

Hermit Thrushes - Singing.

Violet-green Swallows

Vaux's Swifts

Mountain Chickadees

Red-breasted Nuthatches

Rock Wren - Calling on Steins Pillar.

Garter Snake - 3 longitudinal, yellow lines on back

Western Gopher Snake

Western Fence Lizard

Spring Azure

Paul Slichter