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

Prairie Stars, Woodland Stars

The Genus Lithophragma in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflorum (Synonym: Lithophragma parviflora)

The inflorescence of smallflowered Prairie Star (Lithophragma parviflora)
All four species of prairie star may be found at the same site. Lithophragma bulbifera and Lithophragma glabrum tend to bloom about 2 weeks before Lithophragma parviflorum. The shape of the base of the calyx is very useful for identifying L. parviflorum from L. glabrum. L. tenellum was not included in Russ Jolley's book about Columbia River Gorge wildflowers, so that previously has been included as L. parviflorum and will now need to be separated out in the field.

Bulbiferous Prairie-star, Bulblet Prairie Star, Bulbous Woodland-star: Lithophragma glabrum (Synonyms: Lithophragma bulbifera, Lithophragma bulbiferum, Lithophragma glabrum var. bulbiferum, Tellima bulbifera) - Early spring wildflower. Stems reddish. Flowers white or pink with cleft petals. Calyx cup-shaped. Bulblets commonly found on this species. Now reclassified as Lithophragma glabrum.

Smooth Prairie Star: Lithophragma glabrum (Synonyms: Lithophragma bulbifera, Lithophragma bulbiferum, Lithophragma glabra, Lithophragma glabrum var. bulbiferum, Lithophragma glabrum var. ramulosum, Lithophragma tenellum var. floridum, Tellima bulbifera, Tellima glabra) - Early spring wildflower to 8 inches tall. Stems reddish to brown or tan, somewhat hairy and glandular. Flowers white or pink, the five petals cleft or divided into thin, tattered lobes. Calyx cup-shaped, bulblets generally lacking. Flowers 5-15 at the top of the stem. Bulblets may be found instead of flowers, but not observed in the Columbia River Gorge except in L. bulbifera. Leaves often 3-lobed.

Small-flowered Prairie Star, Small-flowered Woodland-star: Lithophragma parviflorum var. parviflorum (Synonyms: Lithophragma parviflora, Lithophragma parviflorum) - Early spring wildflower to 14 inches tall. Basal leaves deeply divided 3-5 times. The 5 petals white or pinkish, each divided into 3 thin lobes. Calyx long and thin, widest at the mouth and tapering gradually to the stem. Stems leafless.

Slender Woodland Star, Slender Woodland-star: Lithophragma tenellum (Synonyms: Lithophragma australe, Lithophragma brevilobum, Lithophragma rupicola, Lithophragma tenellum var. thompsonii, Lithophragma thompsonii, Tellima tenella) -

Paul Slichter