[Bladderpods and Twinpods: The Genus Physaria in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington] [The Mustard Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod

Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii

Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii

Inflorescence of Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii)

Douglas' bladderpod as seen on gravelly slopes above the Columbia River about 2 miles west of the Vernita Bridge, central Washington......April 30, 2007.

Characteristics:

Columbia bladderpod (or Douglas' bladderpod) is a perennial wildflower with several to many ascending to erect stems arising 20-40 cm from a cluster of basal leaves. The stems may be simple or branched. The herbage consists of whitish, closely appressed hairs. The basal leaves range from 3-12 cm long with oblanceolate to obovate blades, the blades from 2-15 mm wide and tapering gradually to slender petioles as long as the blades. The leaf margins range from entire to slightly toothed (See photo of basal leaf below). The stem leaves are much reduced in size and linear to linear-oblanceolate in shape.

The light yellowish flowers are found on the upper stems. Each of the four petals is 6-9 mm long. The fruits are globose, slightly wider above the middle with the style perched atop the fruit. The style is generally about equal to the length of the fruit (See photo above.)


Habitat:

Columbia bladderpod may be found on sandy and gravel bar soils near rivers and into arid ponderosa pine forests.


Range:

Columbia bladderpod may be found east of the Cascade Mts. from British Columbia south to northern Oregon and east to Nez Perce County, Idaho.

In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found at an approximate elevation of 200'-500' from the Avery sand pit east towards Umatilla, OR.


Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii) - Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii) - Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii)

Close-up of a flower of Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii) - Close-up sideview of the flowers of Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii) - Close-up of the pod and pedicel of Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii)

Close-up photos of bladderpod as seen from along Washington Highway 14 near Pasture Point in south-central Klicktat County, WA...........April 20, 2011.

Close-up of the flower of Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii)

Close-up of the flower of Douglas' bladderpod as seen on slopes above the Columbia River about 2 miles west of the Vernita Bridge, central Washington......April 30, 2007.

Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii)

Douglas' bladderpod as seen on gravelly slopes above the Columbia River about 2 miles west of the Vernita Bridge, central Washington......April 30, 2007.

Leaf of Columbia Bladderpod, Douglas' Bladderpod: Physaria douglasii ssp. douglasii (Synonym: Lesquerella douglasii)

A basal leaf.

Paul Slichter