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

Blue-flowered Corn-salad, European Corn-salad, Lamb's-lettuce, Lewiston Cornsalad

Valerianella locusta

Synonym: Valerianella olitoria

The photo above clearly shows the dichotomous branching of the stem branches of blue-flowered corn-salad, the paired, opposite leaves and the terminal inflorescences subtended by numerous leafy bracts.

Blue-flowered Corn-salad from Fisher Hill Grade Rd, east end of Major Creek Plateau, Columbia River Gorge........June 26, 1991.

Characteristics:

Blue-flowered corn-salad is a weak-stemmed annual with mostly smooth herbage and dichotomously branched stems. The stems range from 15-30 cm long. The basal leaves are spatulate and 3-5 cm long and 6-15 mm wide with entire margins. The upper stem leaves are broadly linear to oblong, entire or slightly toothed, and from 1.5-2 cm long.

The inflorescences are head-like cymes from 6-12 mm wide. The bracts beneath the inflorescence are linear. The corollas are pink or bluish and about 2 mm long. The 5 petals or lobes are about equal in length to the short tube.

Habitat:

Blue-flowered corn-salad may be found in moist, open soils along roadsides, on cultivated fields, and in other disturbed places.

Range:

A weedy species, blue-flowered corn-salad may now be found over much of the United States .

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-2000' from near Beacon Rock in the west and eastward to the Klickitat River.

Blue-flowered Corn-salad, European Corn-salad, Lamb's-lettuce, Lewiston Cornsalad: Valerianella locusta (Synonym: Valerianella olitoria)

Blue-flowered corn-salad spotted on open slopes above Winegartner Valley, several miles NE of BZ Corner, WA......May 12, 2023.

Paul Slichter