[Columbia River Gorge Wildflower Reports]

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

Memaloose Overlook

February 21, 1999

Large-fruited Desert Parsley: Lomatium macrocarpum and Hood's Phlox: Phlox hoodii

Salt & Pepper Lomatium piperi at right.

The areas listed on this page appear to be one to two weeks behind last years blooming periods.

Memaloose Overlook, Memaloose State Park

1. Grass Widow: Sisyrinchium douglasii var. douglassii

2. Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule

Govenor Tom McCall Nature Preserve & Rowena Overlook:

1. Grass Widow: Olsynium douglasii var. douglassii - Thousands in bloom, but only the beginning of the bloom season for this species.

2. Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna - One in bloom.

3. Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum - Dozens beginning bloom.

4. Salt & Pepper or Piper's Desert Parsley: Lomatium piperi - Thousands in bloom.

Animals Seen:

1. California Ground Squirrel- 1

2. Raven- 2

3. Kestrel- 2

4. Red-tailed Hawk- 2

5. Horned Lark- 2

6. Flicker- 3

7. American Robin- 3

8. Red-winged Blackbird- 2

9. Steller's jay- 1 heard.

10. Western meadowlark- 1 heard

11. House Finch- 1 heard

The Dalles, OR (at MP 87.5 at some basalt cliffs to the west of The Dalles on old gorge highway & about 1/2 mile south of the new gorge interpretive center)

Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna

Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum

Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum

Butterfly-loving (Pungent) Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum

Animals Seen:

1. Lesser Goldfinch- 5

2. American Robin- 2

3. Dark-eyed Junco- 2

The Dallesport, WA and The Dalles Mt Road to the Dalles Mt. Ranch

The road is in very good condition so far this year.....almost the best condition I've ever seen it! You will pass two areas burnt by rangefires this past summer. These might bear looking at for species which are positively affected by fire, and also to compare areas burned and not burned.

Large-fruited Biscuit Root Lomatium macrocarpum - Sparse bloom on the ridgetop.

Salt & Pepper or Piper's Desert Parsley: Lomatium piperi - Fairly abundant bloom on the ridgetop.

Animals Seen:

1. American Robins- 108

2. Kestrel- 3

3. Harriers- 2

4. Starling- 18

5. Black-billed magpies- 11

6. Dark-eyed Junco- 4

7. Raven- 2

8. Prairie Falcon- 3

9. Golden Eagles- 2 (both immature)

Catherine and Major Creeks (between Bingen, WA and Lyle, WA)

Grass Widow: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii

Western Buttercup: Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis

Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna

Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum

Rusty-hair Saxifrage: Micranthes rufidula

Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum

Salt & Pepper or Piper's Desert Parsley: Lomatium piperi

Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule

Animals seen:

1. Northern Flicker- 1

2. Numerous small butterflies feeding on Lomatium piperi

Paul Slichter