[Gilias: The Genera Gilia, Ipomopsis, Microgilia and Navarretia in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Bluehead Gilia, Bluefield Gilia, Globe Gilia

Gilia capitata ssp. capitata

A close-up sideview of the inflorescence of bluefield gilia as seen at left on open slopes above the Klickitat River in the Klickitat State Wildlife Area of south-central Washington.........May 24, 2009. The photo at right shows the inflorescence of bluefield gilia on slopes above the Klickitat River near Klickitat, WA.....April 29, 2021.

Characteristics:

Blue field gilia is an erect annual, simple to somewhat branched. It may grow from 15 to 100 cm tall. It has both basal and stem leaves. The lower leaves are bipinnate with narrow leaf segments which may be 1 to 10 mm long and as much as 2 cm wide. The light blue flowers are compacted into a dense, cymose head at the apex of the stem. The cyme may contain from 50 to 100 flowers. Individual flowers are about 6 to 10 mm long, with the lobes about 1 mm wide at most, roughly equaling the tube in length.

Habitat:

Blue field gilia is found on dry open slopes at lower elevations.

Range:

Blue field gilia is found from southern Vancouver Island south to California, and east to northern Idaho. It is most common west of the Cascade Mts.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-3600' from the western approaches to the gorge to as far east as The Dalles, OR..

Paul Slichter