[Camas: The Genus Camassia in Mt. Adams Country]

Common Camas, Small Camas

Camassia quamash ssp. breviflora

Synonym: Camassia quamash var. breviflora

Common camas (ssp. breviflora) as seen in wetlands along the southern portion of the loop of the Willard Springs Trail........May1, 2018. Note the yellow of the anthers.

Two close-up sideviews of the flower of common camas (ssp. breviflora) as seen in wetlands along the southern portion of the loop of the Willard Springs Trail.....................May 5, 2007. Note the yellow anthers.

Varieties of Common Camas Present on Mt. Adams:

Camassia quamash ssp. breviflora - Plants fairly stout in appearance. Inflorescence fairly dense. Tepals tend to twist together to cover the ovary as they wither. Pedicels 7-15 mm long, incurved and erect in fruit. Tepals 1.5-2 cm long, mostly 3-nerved. Leaves 1-1.7 cm wide, generally glaucous in appearance. Anthers typically bright yellow. Plants mostly less than 50 cm high.

Camassia quamash ssp. quamash - Plants fairly slender in appearance. Inflorescence fairly open. Tepals tend to spread separately as they wither, not covering the ovary. Pedicels erect-appressed or tightly appressed in fruit. Tepals 20-40 mm long and mostly 3-nerved. Leaves relatively narrow and not very glaucous in appearance. Anthers typically dull yellow to violet.

Camassia quamash ssp. maxima -

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Common camas as seen at Muddy Meadows on the northern side of the Mt. Adams Wilderness........June 21, 2005.

Paul Slichter