[The Saxifrage Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra

Bolandra oregana

Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana

Inflorescence and stem leaves of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

Oregon Bolandra from McCord Creek in the Columbia River Gorge..........May 2005.
Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana) Photo at right of Oregon Bolandra from McCord Creek in the Columbia River Gorge..........May 1992.
Characteristics:

Oregon Bolandra is a perennial with slender, erect or arching stems from 15-60 cm high. The herbage is glandular-hairy. The basal leaves are heart-shaped with shallow lobes which are further divided into small acute teeth. The leaves are thin, 3-7 cm wide, and have long slender petioles. The 2-4 stem leaves are reduced in size and have long stipules.

The inflorescence is a loose panicle with several side branchs,these each having 1-7 flowers. The calyx is globose at its base and narrowed above with a length of 5-8 mm. The 5 spreading petals are dark purple and linear in shape, and about equal in length to the calyx lobes.

Variety imnahaensis from northeastern Oregon has a panicle with longer branches that are more slender and diffuse than those of their western cousins. The calyx is also narrower with longer and more slender lobes.

Habitat:

Oregon Bolandra may be found on moist shady cliffs, often near waterfalls.

Range:

Oregon Bolandra may be found along thelower Willamette River, in the Columbia River Gorge and along the Snake and Imnaha Rivers in northeastern Oregon and adjacent Idaho.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations 100'-1600' between Crown Pt. and Hood River, OR.

Inflorescence of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

The inflorescence of Oregon bolandra as seen along the McCord Creek Trail in the western Columbia River Gorge.........May 30, 2009.

Close-up of the floral parts of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana) - Close-up side view of a flower of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

Close-up of the inflorescence of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana) - Close-up of a stem leaf of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

Additional close-up images of Oregon bolandra as seen from along the Eagle Creek Trail, Columbia River Gorge..........May 20, 2013.

Basal leaves of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

Basal leaves of Oregon bolandra as seen along the McCord Creek Trail in the western Columbia River Gorge..........May 30, 2009.

Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

Stem leaves of Oregon bolandra as seen near Eagle Creek, Columbia River Gorge...........May 10, 2012.

Inflorescence of Bolandra, Northern False Coolwort, Oregon Bolandra: Bolandra oregana (Synonyms: Bolandra oregana var. imnahaensis, Bolandra oregana var. oregana)

Oregon Bolandra from McCord Creek in the Columbia River Gorge..........May 1992.
Paul Slichter