[Mountain-trumpets: The Genus Collomia in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Variableleaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Mountain-trumpet

Collomia heterophylla

Inflorescence of Variableleaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Mountain-trumpet: Collomia heterophylla

Collomia heterophylla from Dog Mt., Columbia River Gorge.........June 8, 1996.

Lower leaves of  Variableleaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Mountain-trumpet: Collomia heterophyllaThe photo at right shows the lower leaves of varied-leaf collomia as seen at the beginning of the Weldon Wagon Road (as it turns off into the forest off the logging service road), Klickitat County, WA......April 28, 2024.

Characteristics:

Varied-leaf Collomia is an annual with one to several simple to branched stems from the base, rising from 5-40 cm high. The leaves are mainly alternate along the stems. The lower leaves are pinnatifid (compound pinnate) with the blades up to 3.5 cm long and 2 cm wide. The leaves of the middle and upper stems become progressively less cleft, and those found below the flowers are entire or toothed with short petioles.

The corollas are pink, lavender, or white, with a long tube from 8-17 mm long which flares only slightly. The petal lobes spread at a right angle to the tube and are 3-4 mm long. The calyx is much shorter than the tube.


Habitat:

Varied-leaf Collomia is found in moist open woods, forest openings, and along loose streambanks at low elevations.


Range:

Varied-leaf Collomia is found from southern British Columbia south to the west of the Cascade Mts. to California. It is also found in northern Idaho.

It may be found in the Columbia River Gorge between the elevations of 100'-2800' from near Angel's Rest east to just west of The Dalles.


Close-up side-view of the flower of Variableleaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Mountain-trumpet: Collomia heterophylla - Close-up of a stem leaf of Variableleaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Mountain-trumpet: Collomia heterophylla

Variableleaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Mountain-trumpet: Collomia heterophylla - Variableleaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Collomia, Varied-leaf Mountain-trumpet: Collomia heterophylla

Additional close-ups of variableleaf collomia as seen on the lower sections of the Dog Mountain trail system, central Columbia River Gorge.......May 4, 2011.

Paul Slichter