[Babystars and Linanthus: The Genus Leptosiphon in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars

Leptosiphon bicolor

Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus

Flower of Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus)

The photo above shows a close-up of the spreading corolla lobes of baby stars as seen at Memaloose in the Columbia River Gorge..........April 24, 2006. Note the yellow stamens which extend beyond the mouth of the corolla tube.

Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus)The photo at right shows a close-up of the narrow corolla tube of baby stars as seen at Memaloose in the Columbia River Gorge..........April 24, 2006. Note the spreading, gland-tipped hairs on the corolla tube.
Characteristics:

Baby Stars is a small, slender annual, not exceeding 15 cm in height. It is usually found as a single erect stem, but branching may occur at the base to form several stems. The leaves are 3 to 7 cleft, up to 2 cm long, with thin, linear segments. The leaf arrangement on the stems makes them look whorled.

The inflorescence is a dense terminal cluster of trumpet like flowers, with long thin tubes (to 3 cm in length) and short (2 to 4 mm long) flaring lobes. The throat is yellow, with the spreading lobes a deep pink or purple color.


Habitat:

Baby Stars are a low elevation plant of grassy areas.


Range:

Baby Stars are found primarily west of the Cascade Mts, from southern Vancouver Island south to southern California.

An eastward extension through the Cascades occurs in the Columbia River Gorge where they may be found between the elevations of 100'-2000' from west of Hood River, OR east to the mouth of the Klickitat River.


Pink-flowered form of Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus) - White-flowered form of Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus)

Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus) - Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus)

Additional views of babystars as seen on grassy slopes at the Labyrinth in the mid-Columbia River Gorge..........April 15, 2010.

Flower of Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus) - Long corolla tube of Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus)

The above photos show a white-flowered variety of baby stars as seen at Catherine Creek...........April 14, 2007.

Habitat of Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus) - Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus)

Baby stars observed at Heartleaf Butte, a Friends of the Gorge property near Lyle, WA......April 13, 2024.

Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus) - Baby Stars, Bicolored Linanthus, True Babystars: Leptosiphon bicolor (Synonyms: Linanthus bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor var. bicolor, Linanthus bicolor ssp. minimus, Linanthus bicolor var. minimus)

Baby stars as seen at left at Catherine Creek.........April 17, 2017. The photo at right shows baby stars blooming near the Catherine Creek trailhead, Columbia River Gorge......April 15, 2023.

Paul Slichter