[Alumroots: The Genus Heuchera in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera

Heuchera glabra

Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

The photo above shows smooth alumroot growing in cracks in the near vertical cliffs along the gravelled section of Rd 23 high above the Lewis River in the Gifford Pinchot NF..........July 25, 2005.
Characteristics:

Smooth alumroot is an attractive perennial wildflower that would be suitable for a shaded rock garden or rock wall. Plants typically consist of several spreading to erect stems from 15-60 cm high arising from a cluster of basal leaves. The leaves, petioles and stems are largely glabrous (lacking hairs) although some glands may be found within the inflorescence. The heart-shaped leaves are palmately lobed with the lobes being cut about 1/3- 1/2 of the distance into the leaf. In addition, the margins are sharply toothed. The blades range from 5-10 cm long while the petioles are up to twice as long. 1-3 much reduced leaves may be found on the stems.

The inflorescence is an open panicle with some minute glands on the branches. The calyx is bell-shaped and 2-3 mm long with the rounded calyx lobes less than to equal to the length of the tube. The broadly spatulate petals are white and about 2-3 mm long with a long claw at their base. The stamens are about equal in length to the petals and are strongly exserted.

Similar Species:

Small-flowered Alumroot Heuchera micrantha: Flowers tiny and white in open, spreading panicles. Leaves maple-like, lobed, and longer than wide. Petioles hairy with 2-lobed stipules (lined with numerous hairs) at their base.

Habitat:

Smooth alumroot may be found stream banks and on moist rocky slopes and cliffs from the coast to well above timberline in the mountains.

Range:

Smooth alumroot may be found from Alaska south to Washington where it is found in the Olympic and Cascade Mts. It is found southwards to Mt. Hood in the northern Cascades of Oregon. It is found eastward in the Wenatchee Mts of west-central Washington and the Selkirk Mts. of British Columbia.

In the Columbia River Gorge, smooth alumroot may be found between the elevations of 3400'-4500' between Silver Star Mt. and Dog Mt.

Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

Leaf of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

Flower of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - Leaf petioles of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - Flower of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

What may be smooth alumroot as seen on basalt outcrops facing towards the Big Lava Beds about one-half mile east of Grassy Knoll, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.........June 3, 2014.

Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - The shiny upper leaf surface of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

Smooth alumroot blooming along a trail on the forested western slopes of Dog Mountain, central Columbia River Gorge...........May 4, 2011.

Upper leaf surface of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - Basal leaves of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

The photo at left shows a close-up of a leaf of smooth alumroot as seen on Hardy Ridge, Beacon Rock State Park.........April 20, 2015. The photos at center and right are shots of smooth alumroot atop the first grassy bench at Mitchell Point, several miles west of Hood River, Oregon.......April 19, 2015.

Basal leaf of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra - Ventral leaf surface of Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

The photo above shows the dorsal leaf surface of smooth alumroot. Note the lack of hairs on the petioles, which helps identify this species from small-flowered alumroot (H. micrantha). Photographed growing in cracks in the near vertical cliffs along the gravelled section of Rd 23 high above the Lewis River in the Gifford Pinchot NF..........July 25, 2005.

Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

The photo above shows smooth alumroot as seen on slopes along Rd 23 at the Mt. Adams Viewpoint at the southwestern corner of Mt. Adams..........June 22, 2005.

Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera glabra

The photo above shows a silouhette of the inflorescence of smooth alumroot as seen on slopes along Rd 23 at the Mt. Adams Viewpoint at the southwestern corner of Mt. Adams..........July 10, 2005.
Paul Slichter