[Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington: 2009]

Wildflowers Currently in Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

South Breaks of the Klickitat River Canyon from Old Headquarters Road

Klickitat State Wildlife Recreation Area

June 12, 2009

Moist meadow wildflowers in the Klickitat State Wildlife Area.......June 12, 2009

A view upstream through a vernally moist meadow in the Klickitat State Wildlife Recreation Area......June 12, 2009. Bog deer-vetch (yellow), hyacinth cluster lily (white), and meadow larkspur (blue) can be observed in the foreground.

Today the weather was in the mid 70s to low 80s with clear, sunny skies and generally calm conditions. Thunder clouds streamed in from the Simcoe Mts. to the east in the afternoon with numerous lightning strikes, thunder and a long deluge of rain and hail.

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

* Needlegrass: Achnatherum sp.

* Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum - Going to seed (sticking in socks and clothing.)

* California Oat-grass: Danthonia californica

* One-spike Oat-grass: Danthonia unispicata

* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides - Now beginning to bloom.

* Prairie Junegrass: Koeleria macrantha

* Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

* Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudorogneria spicata - Now beginning to bloom.

* Medusa-head: Taeniatherum caput-medusae

* Toad Rush: Juncus bufonius

Rush: Juncus sp. -

Field Rush: Luzula campestris var. congesta ?

* Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Fading out of bloom.

* Ookow: Dichelostemma congestum - Good bloom at this point.

* Hyacinth Cluster Lily: Triteleia hyacinthina - Good bloom.

* Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum - Cream-colored blossoms. A few plants have yellow inflorescences.

* Tall Buckwheat: Eriogonum elatum - Beginning to bloom.

* Strict Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. proliferum

* Wire-stem Buckwheat: Eriogonum vimineum - Beginning to bloom.

Prostrate Knotweed: Polygonum aviculare - Not in bloom yet.

* Kellogg's Knotweed: Polygonum polygaloides ssp. kellogii (Synonym: Polygonum kelloggii) -

* Meadow Larkspur: Delphinium distichum - Good bloom. One plant seen with light blue flowers.

* Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii

* Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor - Beginning to bloom.

* Annual Burnet: Poteridium annuum - Now beginning to bloom.

Spanish Clover: Acmispon americanus var. americanus - Not in bloom yet.

* Nevada Deervetch: Acmispon nevadensis var. nevadensis - Beginning to bloom.

Hood River Milkvetch: Astragalus hoodianus - Fruits well-formed.

* Bog Deer-vetch: Hosackia pinnata

* Rabbitsfoot Clover: Trifolium arvense

* Cup Clover: Trifolium cyathiferum

* Annual Cow Vetch: Vicia villosa

* Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis - Good bloom.

* Diamond Clarkia: Clarkia rhomboidea - Beginning to bloom.

* Spreading Dogbane: Apocynum androsmaefolium - Now in bloom.

Narrow-leaf Milkweed: Asclepias fascicularis - In bud.

* Field Morning Glory: Convolvulus arvensis

* Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora - Beginning to bloom.

Linear-leaved Collomia: Collomia linearis - Past bloom.

* Blue Field Gilia: Gilia capitata - Fading out of bloom.

* Baker's Linanthus: Leptosiphon bolanderi

* Needle-leaf Navarretia: Navarretia intertexta ssp. propinqua - Beginning to bloom.

* Common Cryptanth: Cryptantha intermedia

* Hairy Owl-clover, Hairy Indian Paintbrush: Castilleja tenuis

* Bractless Hedge-hyssop: Gratiola ebracteata - Beginning to bloom along creeks and shorelines of stock ponds.

* Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea

Heterocodon: Heterocodon rariflorum

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Large-flowered Agoseris: Agoseris grandiflora - Past bloom.

* Spearleaf Agoseris: Agoseris retrorsa - Fading out of bloom.

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

* Hoary False Yarrow: Chaenactis douglasii var. douglasii - Beginning to bloom.

* Chicory: Cichorum intybus - Beginning to bloom.

* Gray Hawksbeard: Crepis intermedia - Fading out of bloom.

* Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri (formerly var. cynoglossoides) - Beginning to bloom.

Prickly Lettuce: Lactuca serriola - In bud.

* Common Tarweed: Madia gracilis

* Hemizonella: Hemizonella minima - Beginning to bloom. Numerous.

* Pineapple Weed: Matricaria matricarioides

* Rayless Goldenweed: Pyrrocoma carthamoides - Beginning to bloom.

* Northern Wyethia: Wyethia amplexicaulis - Fading out of bloom except where found in wet spots.


Animals Seen During This Hike:

California Ground Squirrels - numerous

Turkey Vultures

Northern Flickers - calling

Ravens

Crows

Western Wood Peewee- heard

Western Meadowlarks

Black-headed Grosbeaks - calling

Mourning Doves

Chipping Sparrows

Violet-green Swallows

(Vauxs ?) Swifts - several

Garter Snake

Racer

Tadpoles

Pale Tiger Swallowtails - numerous

Western Tiger Swallowtails - numerous

Propertius Duskywings - A few seen.

Saw Flys


Paul Slichter