[Wildflower bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington: 2012]

Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

old Champion Lumber Company Haul Road (from Wahkiacus to near Beeks Canyon)

Klickitat Canyon

Department of Natural Resources, Klickitat Wildlife Area and Columbia Land Trust lands

May 16, 2012

Thinleaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. tenuifolia

Thinleaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. tenuifolia

Note: Since this visit, much of the Haul Road has been removed and several river channels crossing the old road bed have been reinstated. One can safely hike upstream from Wahkiacus or an alternate trailhead off SR142 for about 4 miles before reaching the first river channel across the route. It's definitely unsafe to try to cross the channel except during late summer or early fall. There may be a user trail around this obstruction, but it may be difficult to follow as it is not a sanctioned trail and thus not kept clear.
* indicates the plant is currently in bloom.

Comprehensive Plant List for the Champion Lumber Company Haul Road.

Wolfbane Lichen: Letharia vulpina

Haircap Juniper Moss: Polytrichum juniperinum

Field Horsetail: Equisetum arvense

Scouring-rush Horsetail: Equisetum hyemale

Fragile Fern: Cystopteris fragilis

Imbricate Swordfern: Polystichum imbricans

Western Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens

Western Red Cedar: Thuja plicata

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

Douglas Maple: Acer glabrum var. douglasii

Bigleaf Maple: Acer macrophyllum

White Alder: Alnus rhombifolia

* Cascade Oregon Grape: Berberis nervosa

River Birch: Betula occidentalis

California Filbert: Corylus cornuta var. californica

* Black Cottonwood: Populus trichocarpa ssp. balsamifera

Oregon White Oak: Quercus garryana var. garryana

* Willow: Salix sp.

Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana

Poison Oak: Toxicodendron diversilobum

Lesser Duckweed: Lemna minor

* Jointleaf Rush: Juncus articulatus ssp. articulatus - Moist swales in the river bars.

Pacific Rush: Juncus effusus (var. ?)

Daggerleaf Rush: Juncus ensifolius - Basal leaves look like small irises. Moist swales in the river bars.

Poverty Rush: Juncus tenuis ? - Beginning to bloom.

* Sedge: Carex sp. - Wetlands. Tufted. Compact heads of many closely arranged spikes.

* Sedge: Carex sp. - Upland. Tufted.

* Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri

* Spikerush: Eleocharis ovata ?

* Common Spikerush: Eleocharis palustris

* Meadow Foxtail Grass: Alopecurus (pratensis ?)

* Ripgut: Bromus diandrus

* Soft Brome: Bromus hordeaceus

* Bulbous Bluegrass: Poa bulbosa

* Nevada Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia

* Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. secunda

* Bluegrass: Poa wheeleri ? gracillima, etc. - Arched panicles with branches mostly appressed. Plants of vernally moist cliff faces.

* Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

* Stinging Nettles: Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis

* Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - Plants beginning to bloom, flowers cream to very faint pink.

* Onion: Allium sp. (Nevius' Onion: Allium nevii ?)

Common Camas - Camassia (quamash ssp. breviflora ?) - Fading out of bloom. Seen with binoculars so no specific ID.

* Ookow: Dichelostemma congestum

Pale-anthered Glacier Lily: Erythronium grandiflorum var. pallidum - Pods forming.

* Star-flowered False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum stellatum - A few plants still in bloom.

* Bicolored Cluster Lily: Triteleia grandiflora ssp. howellii

Hyacinth Cluster Lily: Triteleia hyacinthina - In bud.

* Meadow Death Camas: Toxicoscordion venenosum

Rein Orchid: Platanthera sp.

* Heartleaf Buckwheat: Eriogonum compositum var. compositum

* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella

Curly Dock: Rumex crispus

Willow Dock: Rumex salicifolius

* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana

* Water Montia: Montia chamissoi

Water Chickweed: Montia fontana - Past bloom.

* Line-leaf Montia: Montia linearis - Only blooming in wet ditches. Past bloom elsewhere.

Little-leaf Montia: Montia parvifolia - In bud.

Largeleaf Sandwort: Moehringia macrophylla - In bud.

Bouncing Bet: Saponaria officinalis

* Common Chickweed: Stellaria media - Fading out of bloom.

* Western Columbine: Aquilegia formosa - Beginning to bloom.

Western Clematis: Clematis ligusticifolia

Meadow Larkspur: Delphinium distichum - In bud.

* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum

* Plantain-leaved Buttercup: Ranunculus alismifolius var. alismifolius

* White Water Buttercup: Ranunculus aquatilis var. capillaceus

* Western Buttercup: Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis

Oak Toothwort: Cardamine nuttallii - Seed pods forming.

Scale Pod: Idahoa scapigera - Pods forming.

* Watercress: Nasturtium officinale

* Western Yellow Cress: Rorippa curvisilqua var. curvisiliqua

* Tumble Mustard: Sisymbrium altissimum

Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum - In bud.

* Thinleaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. tenuifolia - Beginning to bloom.

* Small-flowered Prairie Stars: Lithophragma parviflorum

* Merten's Saxifrage: Saxifraga mertensiana - Fading out of bloom.

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii - Flower buds forming.

Cusick's Serviceberry: Amelanchier cusickii - Fruits forming.

* Douglas' Hawthorn: Crataegus douglasii (var. douglasii) - Fading out of bloom.

* Woods Strawberry: Fragaria vesca ssp. bracteata

Oceanspray: Holodiscus discolor

* Ninebark: Physocarpus capitatus - Beginning to bloom.

Sulphur Cinquefoil: Potentilla recta - In bud.

* Chokecherry: Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa

* Blackcap Raspberry: Rubus leucodermis

* Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus

* Trailing Pacific Blackberry: Rubus ursinus

Spanish-clover: Acmispon americanus var. americanus

Nevada Deer-vetch: Acmispon nevadensis var. nevadensis

* Bog Deer-vetch: Hosackia pinnata

* Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus - Observed atop the road cut where it was difficult to climb to confirm its identity.

* Columbia Gorge Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius (formerly var. thompsonianus )

Velvet Lupine: Lupinus leucophyllus - Creamy-flowered form. In bud.

Alfalfa: Medicago sativa

* Cup Clover: Trifolium cyathiferum

* Small-head Clover: Trifolium microcephalum - Beginning to bloom.

* White Clover: Trifolium repens

* Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium - Fading out of bloom.

* Dovesfoot Geranium: Geranium molle

Common St. John's Wort: Hypericum perforatum

* White-stemmed Blazing Star: Mentzelia albicaulis ?

* Deerbrush: Ceanothus integerrimus

* Buckbrush: Ceanothus sanguineus

* Cascara: Rhamnus purshiana - Brown elfins were attracted to its flowers.

* Burr Chervil: Anthriscus caucalis

Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum - Fat fruits are forming.

* Fernleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium dissectum var. dissectum

* Klickitat (Pungent) Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense

Biscuitroot: Lomatium macrocarpum - Yellow-flowered form. Fruits forming.

* Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule

* Butterfly-loving desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum ?

* Suksdorf's Desert Parsley: Lomatium suksdorfii

* Nineleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium triternatum var. triternatum

* Common Sweet-cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi

Poet's Shooting Star: Dodecatheon/ Primula poeticum - Past bloom.

* Broadleaf Star Flower: Lysimachia latifolia

Flytrap Dogbane: Apocynum androsaemifolium

Dogbane: Apocynum cannabinum or Apocynum sibiricum ? - Too early to identify.

* Bluefields Gilia: Gilia capitata

* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis - Primarily blooming around vernal pools.

Prickly Navarretia: Navarretia intertexta ssp. intertexta

* Showy Phlox: Phlox speciosa

Ballhead Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii

* Woods Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora (var. austiniae ?)

Varied-leaf Phacelia: Phacelia heterophylla ssp. virgata - In bud.

* Weak-stem Cryptantha: Cryptantha flaccida

* Common Cryptanth: Cryptantha intermedia

* Common Houndstongue: Cynoglossum officinale

* Puccoon: Lithospermum ruderale

* Yellow and Blue Scorpionweed: Myosotis discolor

Little Combseed: Gruvelia pusilla - Past bloom.

* Scouler's Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys scouleri or Eastside Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys hispidulus ?

Bracted Verbena: Verbena bracteata

Bittersweet Nightshade: Solanum dulcamara

* Bractless Hedge-hyssop: Gratiola ebracteata

Dalmatian Toadflax: Linaria dalmatica

* Common Monkeyflower: Erythranthe guttata

* Barrett's Penstemon: Penstemon barrettiae

Shrubby Penstemon: Penstemon fruticosus var. fruticosus - Blooming on the river sand and gravel bars.

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii v. richardsonii

* Small-flowered Tonella: Tonella tenella

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

* American Brooklime: Veronica americanum

* Corn Speedwell: Veronica arvensis

* Purslane Speedwell: Veronica peregrina var. xalapensis - Blooming in moist swales running through the river bars.

* Naked Broomrape: Aphyllon purpureum

* Cleavers: Galium aparine

Northern Bedstraw: Galium boreale

* Bigroot: Marah oreganus

Blue Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea - In bud.

* White Plectritis: Plectritis macrocera

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium - Some plants in bud.

* Field Pussytoes: Antennaria neglecta var. howellii - Fading out of bloom.

* Heartleaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia - A few plants in bloom.

Dragon Sagewort: Artemisia dracunculus ?

* Michaux's Wormwood: Artemisia michauxiana - This alpine plant is out of place, but could be expected if washed downstream from Mt. Adams.

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana - Either this species or a hybrid between Carey's balsamroot and northwestern balsamroot (Balsamorhiza deltoidea).

Dustymaidens: Chaenactis douglasii var. douglasii - In bud on the river sand bars.

Canada Thistle: Cirsium arvense

Bull Thistle: Cirsium vulgare

* Spring Gold: Crocidium multicaule - Mostly out of bloom.

* Oregon Sunshine: Eriophyllum lanatum var. lanatum - Beginning to bloom.

Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri

Oxeye Daisy: Leucanthemum vulgare - In bud.

Mountain Tarweed: Madia glomerata ? - In bud.

* Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale


Animals Seen Along this Route:

California Ground Squirrels

Western Gray Squirrels

Red-tailed Hawk

Turkey Vultures

Ravens

Crows

Steller's Jay ?

Common Mergansers

Mallard (female)

California Quail

Mourning Doves

Spotted Sandpiper ? - heard

Northern Flicker - heard

Western Wood Peewee - heard. First one of this new year.

Spotted Towhee - heard

American Robin

Black-headed Grosbeaks - numerous. Very vocal.

Western Tanagers -fairly numerous. Likewise, very vocal.

American Dipper -immature bird

Violet-green Swallows - numerous

Northern Rough-winged Swallows - a trio that was swooping low over the Klickitat River in search of winged insects, then landed near us to pick up grit off the shoulder of the road.

Vaux's Swifts - numerous

Lazuli Buntings - numerous. A consant stream of song, plus more than a dozen sightings throughout the day.

Warblers - many were heard, but it was hard to coax them out to where we could see them clearly.

Black-capped Chickadees

Alligator Lizard - They sure run strangely!

Western Fence Lizards

Bullfrogs - heard

Tree Frogs - heard and seen on the river bar along the Klickitat River

Anise Swallowtails

Indra Swallowtails - attracted to red flagging placed near restoration plantings.

Pale Tiger Swallowtails

Western Tiger Swallowtails

Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail - I may have seen one mudding on the margins of a vernal pool. I thought it looked a bit strange, but didn't think to note the type of tail it had.

Great Artics

Mourning Cloaks

Caliornia Tortoiseshell

Propertius Duskywings - Other duskywings may have been present too.

Ochre Ringlets - common.

Mylitta Crescents - One chased off an intruding dragonfly several times larger than itself that had blundered into its territory.

Brown Elfins

Boisduval's Blues ?

Arctic Skipper or Common Checkered Skipper

Woolly Bear Caterpillars - Long white hairs on their back for that 'punk' look.

Large Bumblebees


Paul Slichter