[The Borage Family in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Cat's-eyes, Cryptanths and Oreocaryas of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington

The Genera Cryptantha and Oreocarya

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Large-flowered Cryptantha (Cryptantha grandiflora) or Common Cryptanth (Cryptantha intermedia). One needs to look at the nutlets for a positive ID as to which this would be.

Common Cryptantha, Quill Cat's-eye, Quilll Cryptantha, Slender Cryptantha: Cryptantha affinis (Synonym: Krynitzkia affinis) -

Basin Cat's Eye, Basin Cryptantha, Obscure Cryptantha, Wilke's Cryptantha: Cryptantha ambigua -

Prickly Cryptantha: Cryptantha echinella -

Pale Cryptantha, Weakstem Cat's-eye, Flaccid Cryptantha, Weak-stemmed Cryptantha: Cryptantha flaccida -

Clearwater Cryptantha, Large-flowered Cryptantha: Cryptantha grandiflora (Synonym: Cryptantha intermedia var. grandiflora) - Corolla limb rather large, 3-8 mm wide. Nutlet surface smooth. Nutlets widely lance-ovate to narrowly ovate, not basally swollen. Nutlets 1-2.

Common Cryptantha, Large-flowered Cryptantha, Clearwater Cryptantha, Clearwater Cat's Eye: Cryptantha intermedia (Synonyms: Cryptantha barbigera var. fergusoniae, Cryptantha fragilis, Cryptantha grandiflora, Cryptantha hendersonii, Cryptantha intermedia var. grandiflora, Cryptantha intermedia var. intermedia) - Note: What was known as Cryptantha intermedia several years ago has been recently split into the two varieties listed below as well as Cryptantha grandiflora. They differ largely in shape of the nutlets, which my photos aren't showing, so I've left the link up to the former C. intermedia and will work the next few years to better photograph the characteristics of thes 3 new taxa.

Henderson's Common Cryptantha, Palouse Cryptantha: Cryptantha intermedia var. hendersonii (Synonym: Cryptantha hendersonii) - Corolla limb rather large, 3-8 mm wide. Nutlet surface roughened, variably papillate and sparsely low-tuberculate. Nutlets 1-2, ovate to lance-ovate in shape.

Clearwater Cat's Eye, Common Cryptantha, Nievitas: Cryptantha intermedia var. intermedia (Synonym: Cryptantha fragilis) - Corolla limb rather large, 3-8 mm wide. Nutlet surface roughened, consistently papillate and densely coarse-tuberculate to muricate. Nutlets usually 3-4, ovate to lance-ovate in shape.

Beaked Cryptantha, Red-stemmed Cryptantha: Cryptantha rostellata (Synonym: Cryptantha rostellata var. spithaemea) - Possibly found on Yakama Nation lands on the east side of Mt. Adams.

Pine Woods Cat's-eye, Pine Cryptantha, Pinewoods Cryptantha: Cryptantha simulans -

Torrey's Cat's Eye, Torrey's Cryptantha: Cryptantha torreyana var. torreyana (Synonyms: Cryptantha torreyana, Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila) -

Watson's Cryptantha: Cryptantha watsonii -

Bristly Oreocarya, Snake River Cat's-eye, Snake River Oreocarya: Oreocarya spiculifera (Synonym: Cryptantha spiculifera) -

Crater lake Oreocarya, Wallowa Cryptantha: Oreocarya subretusa (Synonyms: Cryptantha sobolifera, Cryptantha subretusa) -

Thompson's Cat's Eye, Thompson's Cryptantha, Thompson's Oreocarya: Oreocarya thopsonii (Synonym: Cryptantha thompsonii) -

Common Cryptanth: Cryptantha intermedia

Paul Slichter E-mail