[Anemones and Windflowers: The Genus Anemone in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Little Mountain Anemone, Lyall's Anemone, Little Mountain Thimbleweed, Thimbleweed

Anemone lyallii

Synonyms: Anemone nemorosa var. lyallii, Anemone oligantha, Anemone quinquefolia, Anemone quinquefolia var. lyallii

Flower and stem leaves of Little Mountain Anemone, Lyall's Anemone, Little Mountain Thimbleweed, Thimbleweed: Anemone lyallii (Synonyms: Anemone nemorosa var. lyallii, Anemone oligantha, Anemone quinquefolia, Anemone quinquefolia var. lyallii)

The photo above shows a close-up of the flower fo Lyall's anemone as seen on Mt. Adams at Crofton Creek where the Crofton Ridge Trail crosses the creek........May 28, 2005.


Close-up of a flower of Little Mountain Anemone, Lyall's Anemone, Little Mountain Thimbleweed, Thimbleweed: Anemone lyallii (Synonyms: Anemone nemorosa var. lyallii, Anemone oligantha, Anemone quinquefolia, Anemone quinquefolia var. lyallii)The photo at right shows a close-up of the flower of Lyall's wind flower as seen along the Angel's Rest Trail.........April 30, 2005.
Characteristics:

The lovely Lyall's wind flower is very similar in appearance to Oregon Anemone with which it can hybridize, and both can be difficult to distinguish from the other. Lyall's wind flower is perennial wildflower with one basal leaf and one stem from 5-25 cm high from slender, scaly, horizontal rhizomes. The leaves are trifoliolate with three ternate leaflets, the individual leaflets 1-3 cm long and usually with biserrate-crenate margins. The lateral pair of leaflets usually have a distinctive lobe, sometimes parted almost to the base.

The stems range from lacking hairs to crisp-pubescent above. The stem leaflets are found below the flower (above mid stem). The flower consists of 5 white to bluish or rose-colored sepals, each oblong in shape and measuring 6-8 mm long. The stamens usually number 12-20 although 30-35 are possible. Oregon Anemone generally has larger flowers, the petals measuring 12-20 mm and usually has more stamens (35-100).


Habitat:

Lyall's wind flower may be found growing in a range of moist habitats, ranging from open grasslands to deep woods to subalpine ridges.


Range:

Lyall's wind flower may be found from southwestern British Columbia south to northern California. It may be found from the Pacific Coast into the lower Cascade Mts.

In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations of 100'-3000' near Bridal Veil, OR.


Paul Slichter