Cryptanths or White Forget-me-nots of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Cryptanths or White Forget-me-nots of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Common Cryptantha: Cryptantha intermedia

The species of this genus are difficult to identify, and will often involve use of a strong hand lens or dissecting scope. I have not personally seen many of these species, so use this key with caution!

Basin Cat's Eye, Basin Cryptantha, Obscure Cryptantha, Wilke's Cryptantha: Cryptantha ambigua - Annual. Slender plants lacking a tuft of basal leaves. Inflorescence open and scorpioid. Corollas small, the limbs 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Calyx hairs more or less straight. Nutlets rough-surfaced, not winged. Herbage of plants with at least some spreading hairs.

Buttecandle, Cockscomb Cryptantha, Northern Cryptantha, Sheldon's Oreocarya: Cryptantha celosioides (Synonyms: Cryptantha bradburiana, Cryptantha macounii, Cryptantha nubigena var. macounii, Cryptantha sheldonii, Oreocarya celosioides, Oreocarya glomerata, Oreocarya macounii, Oreocarya sheldonii) - Perennial. Plants generally with a tuft of broad, oblanceolate or spatulate basal leaves from 2-8 cm long and 4-15 mm wide. Inflorescence a dense spike of showy flowers, the corolla limbs generally 8-12 mm wide.

Flaccid Cryptantha, Weakstem Cryptantha, Weakstem Cat's Eye, Weak-stem Cryptantha, Weak-stemmed Cryptantha: Cryptantha flaccida (Synonyms: Cryptantha rostellata, Cryptantha rostellata var. spithamea) - Annual. Slender plants lacking a tuft of basal leaves. Inflorescence open and scorpioid. Corollas small, the limbs 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Calyx with arched or hooked hairs. Nutlets single, smooth, pointed or very narrowly flattened at the base.

Clearwater Cryptantha, Clearwater Cat's Eye, Common Cryptantha, Large-flowered Cryptantha: Cryptantha intermedia (Synonyms: Cryptantha barbigera var. fergusoniae, Cryptantha fragilis, Cryptantha grandiflora, Cryptantha hendersonii, Cryptantha intermedia var. grandiflora, Cryptantha intermedia var. intermedia) - Annual. Slender plants lacking a tuft of basal leaves. Inflorescence open and scorpioid. Corolla fairly large, the limb 4-8 mm wide.

Gray Cat's Eye, Gray Cryptantha: Cryptantha leucophaea (Synonym: Oreocarya leucophaea) - This rare species may be extirpated in the Columbia River Gorge. There are several collections from the eastern Gorge from the 1880s, but the pools behind several of the dams may have covered these sites. This is a species that should be looked for at all remaining sites with sand dunes.

Winged Cryptantha, Wingnut Cryptantha, Wing-nut Cryptantha: Cryptantha pterocarya var. pterocarya (Synonym: Cryptantha pterocarya) - Annual. Slender plants lacking a tuft of basal leaves. Inflorescence open and scorpioid. Corollas small, the limbs 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Calyx hairs more or less straight. Nutlets roughened with noticeable, borad winged margins.

Red-stemmed Cryptantha: Cryptantha rostellata (Synonyms: Cryptantha flaccida, Cryptantha rostellata var. spithamea) - Annual. Slender plants lacking a tuft of basal leaves. Inflorescence open and scorpioid. Corollas small, the limbs 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Calyx with arched or hooked hairs. Nutlets single, smooth, broadly flattened at the base. The style is equal to or slightly longer than half the length of the nutlet.

Pinewoods Cryptantha, Pine Woods Cryptantha: Cryptantha simulans - Annual. Slender plants lacking a tuft of basal leaves. Inflorescence open and scorpioid. Corollas small, the limbs 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Calyx hairs more or less straight. Nutlets rough-surfaced, but not winged. Herbage of plants with closely appressed hairs (No spreading hairs present.).

Torrey's Cat's Eye, Torrey's Cryptantha: Cryptantha torreyana (Synonyms: Cryptantha calycosa, Cryptantha eastwoodiae, Cryptantha flexulosa, Cryptantha torreyana var. calycosa, Cryptantha torreyana var. pumila, Cryptantha torreyana var. torreyana) - Annual. Slender plants lacking a tuft of basal leaves. Inflorescence open and scorpioid. Corollas small, the limbs 0.5-2.5 mm wide. Calyx hairs more or less straight. 4 nutlets present, smooth surfaced. Style less than the nutlets.