[The Lily Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Bronze Bells, Mission Bells, Western Featherbells, Western Stenanthium

Anticlea occidentalis

Synonyms: Stenanthium occidentale, Stenanthium rhombipetalum

Flower of Bronze Bells, Mission Bells, Western Featherbells, Western Stenanthium: Anticlea occidentalis  (Synonyms: Stenanthium occidentale, Stenanthium rhombipetalum)

The photo above shows a close-up of the attractively colored tepals of bronze bells as seen along the Angels Rest Trail in the Columbia River Gorge on May 12, 2005.

Bronze Bells, Mission Bells, Western Featherbells, Western Stenanthium: Anticlea occidentalis  (Synonyms: Stenanthium occidentale, Stenanthium rhombipetalum)The photo at right show bronze bells from Hamilton Mt. in the Columbia River Gorge.
Characteristics:

Bronze bells are attractive perennial wildflower with slender, weak stems from 10-40 cm high arising from an ovoid bulb about 2-4 cm long. The several basal leaves are grass-like, measuring 15-30 cm long and from 6-15 mm wide. The leaves narrow gradually to a point at both ends. The stems have 1-2 reduced leaves.

The inflorescence consists of a loose raceme or occasionally a panicle from 10-20 cm long. The flowers are borne on slender pedicels from 8-30 cm long. Short bracts subtend the pedicels. The 6 greenish-yellow, reddish or reddish-green tepals form a tube, and individually are linear in shape. They measure from 1.5-2 cm long and have tips flared outwards and back.


Habitat:

Bronze bells may be found in on rocky slopes, including wet cliffs, in rock crevices and in mountain meadows and thickets. It is largely a plant of subalpine to alpine habitats but is found near sea level in the Columbia River Gorge and Olympic Peninsula.


Range:

Bronze bells may be found from British Columbia south to northern California and east to Alberta, and south into Montana and Idaho.

In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations of 100'-4000' from Troutdale, OR east towards the Little White Salmon River.


Bronze Bells, Mission Bells, Western Featherbells, Western Stenanthium: Anticlea occidentalis  (Synonyms: Stenanthium occidentale, Stenanthium rhombipetalum)

The photo above shows a close-up of the pendant inflorescence of bronze bells as seen along the Angels Rest Trail in the Columbia River Gorge on May 12, 2005.

Seed pod of bronze bells: Stenanthium occidentalis

A close-up of the maturing seed pod of bronze bells as seen along the Angels Rest Trail in the western Columbia River Gorge..........July 5, 2009.

Bronze Bells, Mission Bells, Western Featherbells, Western Stenanthium: Anticlea occidentalis  (Synonyms: Stenanthium occidentale, Stenanthium rhombipetalum)

Bronzebells blooming along the Starvation Ridge Cutoff Trail #414B, Starvation Creek State Park, Columbia River Gorge.........May 7, 2015.

Bronze Bells, Mission Bells, Western Featherbells, Western Stenanthium: Anticlea occidentalis  (Synonyms: Stenanthium occidentale, Stenanthium rhombipetalum)

Bronze bells as seen along the Angels Rest Trail, Columbia River Gorge........June 24, 1990.

Paul Slichter