Characteristics:
Oregon flag is an attractive perennial with many slender rhizomes which spread to form clusters of plants from 30-40 cm wide. The stems are up to 35 cm high with 3-4 reduced leaves. The basal leaves are thick, flattened and somewhat grass-like but wider. They measure up to 40 cm long and from 2-5 mm wide.
The single flower (occasionally two) are large and showy with 3 larger sepals and 3 smaller, thin and erect petals which alternate between the sepals. Individual petals are oblanceolate in outline and measure from 3.5-6 cm long. The oblanceolate to obovate sepals are generally lavender to purple with yellow and cream markings at the palate (See the photo at right.). The sepals measure from 5.5-6.5 cm long and tend to be reflexed past their midlength. The petal-like style branches drape over the lower half of the sepals and have two narrow lobes at the tip. The style branches measure 25-30 mm long with the crests measuring about 8-12 mm long. The fruit is a capsule measuring from 25-35 mm long.
Moist forest openings, grasslands, and roadsides to middle altitudes
Oregon flag is found from Grays harbor and Thuyrston Counties, WA, south along the west side of the Cascades to southwestern Oregon.
It is found in the Columbia River Gorge between 100'-3000' from east of Washougal, WA to west of Beacon Rock.
1. The leaves were braided into snares for animal capture.
2. Pretty wildflower. Many have been domesticated & bred for unusual flower color.
3. The boiled root broth was used as a beauty treatment (supposedly it cleared the complexion) and also to treat bruises and sores.
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