[Columbia River Gorge Wildflower Reports]

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

Catherine Creek

March 8, 1998

Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

Salt and pepper: Lomatium piperi

The photo at right shows salt & pepper: Lomatium piperi.

Pale-anthered Glacier Lily: Erythronium grandiflorum var. pallidum - Several dozen plants in bloom.

Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica

Grass Widow: Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii -Abundant.

Line-leaf Montia: Montia linearis

Western Buttercup: Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis - Abundant.

Oaks Toothwort: Cardamine nuttallii

Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna - Abundant.

Dutchman's Breeches: Dicentra cucullaria

Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum -Abundant on cliffsides.

Brittle-leaved Saxifrage: Micranthes fragosa - Moderate bloom.

Northwestern Saxifrage: Micranthes integrifolia - A few plants in bloom.

Rusty-hair Saxifrage: Micranthes rufidula - Abundant

Columbia Desert Parsley: Lomatium columbianum -Moderate bloom.

Klickitat Desert Parsley: Lomatium klickitatense

Butterfly-loving (Pungent) Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum

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

Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora

Rosy Plectritis: Plectritis congesta

Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Abundant on drier slopes.

False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides

The leaves of many other wildflowers are also well advanced. Lupinus latifolius is up to 6" tall. A number of Lupinus micranthus have flower buds. The camas range in size from 1 - 6" in height. Several Dodecatheon poeticum showed signs of blooming within days. In the oak woods, the leaves of Sanicula graveolans, Viola sheltonii, and Hydrophyllum capitatum are abundant. These latter of course will be blooming later this spring.

Paul Slichter