[Toadflaxes: The Genus Linaria in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Butter-and-eggs, Butter and Eggs, Common Toad-flax, Greater Butter-and-eggs

Linaria vulgaris

Synonym: Linaria linaria

Close-up frontal view of a flower of Butter-and-eggs, Common Toad-flax, Greater Butter-and-eggs: Linaria vulgaris (Synonym: Linaria linaria)

The photo above is a close-up of the flower of butter and eggs as seen along Road #82 at the junction with Road #200 at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams........August 26, 2005.
Characteristics:

Common toadflax is a tufte perennial species with several to many ascending to erect stems rising from 30-100 cm high from a system of creeping roots. The leaves and stems are largely glabrous and somewhat glaucous, while the numerous, simple leaves are alternately arranged along the stems. The leaves are linear in outline with entire margins and measure from 2-6 cm long. The soft leaves narrow to a short petiole.

The racemes are narrow and densely flowerd. The showy corolla is a clear, light yellow with the palate (base of the lower lip) is conspicuously orange. The corolla measures 2.5-3 cm long , including the long, slender spur.

Habitat:

A weedy species, common toadflax may be found in disturbed soils of open ground along roadsides, gardens, fallow fields, waste areas and gravel quarries.

Range:

A native of Eurasia, common toadflax may be found across much of western Washington and Oregon.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-2100' from near Crown Point and the Larch Mt. Highway eastward to Wind Mt.

Close-up sideview of a flower of Butter-and-eggs, Common Toad-flax, Greater Butter-and-eggs: Linaria vulgaris (Synonym: Linaria linaria)

A close-up side-view of the flower of butter and eggs as seen along Road #82 at the junction with Road #200 at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams.........August 26, 2005. The 2-lipped corolla and long spur are clearly visible.

Inflorescence of Butter-and-eggs, Common Toad-flax, Greater Butter-and-eggs: Linaria vulgaris (Synonym: Linaria linaria)

Another view of the flowers and upper stem leaves of butter and eggs as seen along Road #82 at the junction with Road #200 at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams........August 26, 2005. The leaves are soft, linear in shape and measure 2-5 cm long and 2-4 mm wide.
Paul Slichter