[The Purslane Family in Mt. Adams Country]

Pussypaws

Calyptridium umbellatum

Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata

Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata) - Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

The photo at left shows a close-up of the inflorescence basal leaves of pussypaws as seen at about 4800' atop the ridge dividing the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages on the southeastern slopes of Mt. Adams.......June 19, 2005. The photo at right shows pussypaws in cindery soils at about 7200' near the head of Hellroaring Valley, Yakama Nation lands, Mt. Adams.......August 30, 2021.

Inflorescence of Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata) - Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

The photo at left shows a close-up of the inflorescence of pussypaws as seen at about 4800' atop the ridge dividing the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages on the southeastern slopes of Mt. Adams.......June 19, 2005. The photo at right shows pussypaws in bloom near Willard Springs, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge......May 15, 2021.

Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

Pussypaws still blooming on sandy-gravelly slopes between High Camp and the terminal moraine of the Adams Glacier, Mount Adams Wilderness.........August 19, 2013.

Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata) - Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

Pussypaws blooming (left) at about 6800' on slopes north of and below the North Cleaver of Mt. Adams.........August 11, 2016. The photo at right shows pussypaws blooming on open, ashy ground in open forest near Willard Springs, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge.........May 24, 2016..

Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata) - Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

The photo at left shows a close-up of the form of pussypaws as seen at about 4800' atop the ridge dividing the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages on the southeastern slopes of Mt. Adams.......June 19, 2005. Note the numerous glossy, spatulate to oblanceolate shaped basal leaves arranged in rosettes and the numerous inflorescences pressed to the ground. The photo at right shows pussypaws blooming on charred forest floor resulting from the 2015 Cougar Creek Fire. Photo taken between Bird Lake and Bird Creek, Bird Creek Meadows, Mt. Adams, Yakama Nation lands..........September 1, 2017.

Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata) - Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

Pussypaws observed at left in dry, open pine forest near Willard Springs, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge......May 15, 2020. The photo at right shows pussypaws along the upper Lewis River near the Pacific Crest Trail #2000, Mt. Adams Wilderness......October 5, 2020.

Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata) - Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

Pussypaws observed at left on an outcrop above 7200' at the head of Hellroaring Valley on Mt. Adams, Bird Creek Meadows, Yakama Nation lands.........September 3, 2017. The photo at right shows pussypaws blooming on balds in open oak woods at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge.......June 3, 2019.

Pussypaws: Calyptridium umbellatum (Synonyms: Calyptridium umbellatum var. caudiciferum, Calyptridium umbellatum var. umbellatum, Cistanthe umbellata, Cistanthe umbellata var. caudicifera, Cistanthe umbellata var. umbellata, Spraguea umbellata, Spraguea umbellata var. caudicifera, Spraguea umbellata var. umbellata)

A rosy-looking pussypaws spotted on a cindery slope above 7200' at the head of Hellroaring Valley on Mt. Adams, Bird Creek Meadows, Yakama Nation lands........August 29, 2022. I'm assuming that the rosy color of the inflorescence is a signal to potential pollinators that the flowers have been pollinated already.

Paul Slichter