[The Pea Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]
Dune Surfpea, Lanceleaf Scurfpea, Lanceleaf Scurf-pea, Lance-leaf Scurfpea, Lance-leaf Scurf-pea, Lemon Scurfpea, Wild Lemonweed
Ladeania lanceolata
Synonyms: Psoralea lanceolata, Psoralea lanceolata ssp. lanceolata, Psoralea lanceolata ssp. scabra, Psoralea lanceolata var. purshii, Psoralea lanceolata var. stenophylla, Psoralea lanceolata var. stenostachys, Psoralea scabra, Psoralea stenostachys, Psoralidium lanceolatum, Psoralidium lanceolatum var. stenophyllum, Psoralidium lanceolatum var. stenostachys, Psoralidium stenophyllum
Inflorescence of lanceleaf scurfpea as seen in sandy soils at milepost 115.5 along Washington Highway 14..........May 11, 2009.
Photo
at right illustrates lance-leaf scurf-pea near the Avery gravel pit in the eastern
Columbia River Gorge...........May 5, 2001.
Characteristics:
Lance-leaf scurf-pea is an erect, freely branched perennial
from 30-60 cm high with varied herbage, which ranges from smooth and hairless
to glandular or covered with appressed hairs all pointing the same direction.
The stem leaves are compound ternate (3 leaflets) which are narrowly obovate
to elliptic-oblanceolate in shape, each ranging from 2-3 cm long (See photos
at right and below.). The leaves become much reduced in size towards the top
of the stem.
The inflorescence is a closely flowered raceme of 10-40 white
to blue flowers. Individual flowers range from 4-7 mm long with a bell-shaped
calyx with short, ovate-triangular teeth which are equal in size.
Habitat:
Lance-leaf scurf-pea is found in sandy soils. It may be found
on the windward side of active sand dunes or among bunchgrasses or sagebrush.
Range:
Lance-leaf scurf-pea may be found from central Washington south
to the east of the Cascade Mts. to California and east to Nebraska and Nevada.
In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations
of 100'-500' from the Major Creek Plateau east to the eastern end of the Gorge.
Lanceleaf scurfpea as seen in sandy soils at milepost 115.5 along Washington Highway 14..........May 11, 2009.
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Inflorescence and ternately compound leaves of lance-leaf scurf-pea from
Horsethief Butte.........late May 2001.
Paul Slichter