[Wildflower Bloom in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington: 2014] -- [Wildflower Bloom in the Cascade Mountains of Washington: 2014]

Wildflower Bloom at Silver Star Mountain

Gifford Pinchot National Forest

July 15, 2014

Silver Star Mountain July 15, 2014.

A view across the meadowed ridgeline to the north of Silver Star Mountain viewed north towards Mt. St. Helens (obscured by the haze), Gfford Pinchot National Forest..........July 15, 2014. The yellow flower is common hawkweed (Hieracium lachenalii), a weed, which has increased steadily at this location over the past 30 years.

Silver Star Mountain July 15, 2014. - Silver Star Mountain July 15, 2014. - Silver Star Mountain July 15, 2014.

Additional views along the trail to the north of Silver Star Mountain viewed north towards Mt. St. Helens (obscured by the haze), Gfford Pinchot National Forest..........July 15, 2014.

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Running-pine Clubmoss: Lycopodium clavatum

Juniper Haircap Moss: Polytrichum juniperinum ?

Common Lady Fern: Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum

Deer Fern: Struthiopteris spicant

Western Sword Fern: Polystichum munitum

Bracken Fern: Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens

Mountain Juniper: Juniperis communis (var. jackii ?)

Pacific Silver Fir: Abies amabilis

Noble Fir: Abies procera

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

* Daggerleaf Rush: Juncus ensifolius

* Hitchcock's Woodrush: Luzula hitchcockii

Long-anthered Woodrush: Luzula macrantha ?

* Small-flowered Woodrush: Luzula parviflora

* Star Sedge: Carex echinata var. echinata

* Lakeshore Sedge: Carex lenticularis (var. impressa or lipocarpa ?)

* Merten's Sedge: Carex mertensii

* Raynold's Sedge: Carex raynoldsii

* Sweet Vernalgrass: Anthoxanthum odoratum

* Columbia Brome: Bromus vulgaris ?

* California Oatgrass: Danthonia californica

* Fescue: Festuca sp. - Native

* Alpine Timothy: Phleum alpinum

* Common Timothy: Phleum pratense

* Cat's Ear Mariposa Lily: Calochortus subalpinus - Begining to fade out of bloom.

* Queen Cup: Clintonia uniflora

Hooker's Fairy Bells: Prosartes hookeri

Avalanche Lily: Erythronium montanum - Pods ripening.

* Columbia Tiger Lily: Lilium columbianum - Begining to fade out of bloom.

False lily-of-the-valley: Maianthemum dilatatum

Western Solomon Plume: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule - Past bloom.

Claspingleaf Twistedstalk: Streptopus amplexifolius

Wood Lily: Trillium ovatum

Bear Grass: Xerophyllum tenax

* Slender Bog Orchid: Platanthera stricta

Red Alder: Alnus rubra - Along access road to trailhead.

Sitka Alder: Alnus alnobetula ssp. sinuata

* American Bistort: Bistorta bistortoides

* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella

* Candy Flower: Claytonia sibirica

* Little-leaf Montia: Montia parvifolia

Baneberry: Actaea rubra - Berries ripening.

* Red Columbine: Aquilegia formosa

* White Marsh Buttercup: Caltha biflora - Fading out of bloom in forest streambeds.

* Nuttall's Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallii

* Bleeding Hearts: Dicentra formosa - Begining to fade out of bloom.

Cascade Oregon Grape: Berberis nervosa

* Inside-out Flower: Vancouveria hexandra

* Coldwater Corydalis: Corydalis aquae-gelidae

* Rusty Saxifrage: Micranthes ferruginea (old var. macounii) - Fading out of bloom.

* Coolwort: Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata

* Youth-on-age: Tolmiea menziesii

Stink Currant: Ribes bracteosum - Past bloom.

* Goatsbeard: Aruncus dioicus var. acuminatus

* Nootka Rose: Rosa nutkana (var. ?)

* Dwarf Bramble: Rubus lasiococcus - Fading out of bloom.

* Thimbleberry: Rubus parviflorus - Fading out of bloom.

Salmonberry: Rubus spectabilis - Fruits ripening

* Subalpine Spiraea: Spiraea splendens

* Western Sweet-vetch: Hedysarum occidentale

* Broad-leaf Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius

* Yellow Buckbean: Thermopsis montana var. ovata

Vine Maple: Acer circinatum

Douglas Maple: Acer glabrum var. douglasii

Stream Violet: Viola glabella

Evergreen Violet: Viola sempervirens

* Fireweed: Chamaenerion angustifolium

* Ciliate Willowherb: Epilobium ciliatum var. glandulosum

* White-flowered Willowherb: Epilobium lactiflorum

Devils Club: Oploplanax horridum

* Gray's Lovage: Ligusticum grayii

* Martindale's Desert Parsley: Lomatium martindalei - Fading out of bloom.

* Bunchberry: Cornus unalaschkensis - Fading out of bloom.

Thin-leaf Huckleberry: Vaccinium membranaceum

Red Huckleberry: Vaccinium parvifolium

Oval-leaf Huckleberry: Vaccinium ovalifolium - Fruits nearly ripe.

* Explorer's Gentian: Gentiana calycosa - Beginning to bloom.

Spreading Phlox: Phlox diffusa - Past bloom.

* Varied-leaf Phacelia: Phacelia nemoralis var. oregonensis

* Selfheal: Prunella vulgaris

* Common Paintbrush: Castilleja miniata var. miniata

* Musk Monkeyflower: Erythranthe moschata

* Turtleheads: Nothochelone nemorosa

* Coiled-beak Lousewort: Pedicularis contorta

Cardwell's Penstemon: Penstemon cardwellii

* Cascade Penstemon: Penstemon serrulatus

* Yellow Rattle: Rhinanthus crista-gallii - Fading out of bloom.

* Common Speedwell: Veronica officinalis

* English Plantain: Plantago lanceolata

* Sitka Valerian: Valeriana sitchensis

* Scot's Harebell: Campanula rotundifolia

* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

* Orange Agoseris: Agoseris aurantiaca - Beginning to bloom.

Pearly Everlasting: Anaphalis margaritacea - In bud.

* Broadleaf Arnica: Arnica latifolia - Beginning to bloom.

* Subalpine Daisy: Erigeron glacialis var. glacialis

* Woolly Sunflower: Eriophyllum lanatum var. integrifolium

* Cascade Aster: Eucephalus ledophyllus - Beginning to bloom.

* White-flowered Hawkweed: Hieracium albiflorum - Fading out of bloom.

* Common Hawkweed: Hieracium lachenalii - A dominent weed of the open ridgetops

* Oxeye Daisy: Leucanthemum vulgare

Rattlesnake Root: Prenanthes alata

* Arrowleaf Groundsel: Senecio triangularis var. triangularis


Animals Seen During This Hike:

Golden Eagles - Adult with juvenile

Varied Thrushes - Calling in the coniferous forest.

Chestnut-backed Chickadees

Pine Siskins

Red-breasted Nuthatches

Rufous Hummingbirds

Thanks to Dennis Deck and Jake Hurlbert who provide the insect list:

Clodius Parnassian (Parnassius clodius)

Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)

Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon)

Sara Orangetip (Anthrocharis sara)  [Jake saw one]

?Western White (Pontia occidentalis) [not netted, maybe

Checkered/Becker's/Mustard]

Western Sulphur (Colias occidentalis)

Mariposa Copper (Lycaena mariposa)

Anna's Blue (Lycaeida anna) [some consider it subspecies of Northern]

Boisduval's Blue (Plebejus icaroides)

Variable Checkerspot (Euphydras chalcedona)

Hydaspe Fritillary (Speyeria hydaspe)

Western Meadow (or Pacific) Fritillary (Boloria epithore)

Great Arctic (Oenis nevadensis) [common in even numbered years]

Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis Lorquini) [males perch about eye level to

chase females]

Flea Beetle: Scelolyperus sp.


Paul Slichter