[The Genus Nemophila in the Columbia R. Gorge]
Little-foot Nemophila, Meadow Baby-blue-eyes, Meadow Nemophila, Spreading Nemophila

Nemophila pedunculata

Synonym: Viticella pedunculata

Close-up of the flower and leaf of Synonym: Viticella pedunculata

Close-up of the flower and lobed leaf of meadow nemophila as seen on moist grassy slopes in the Labyrinth, mid-Columbia River Gorge...............April 15, 2010.
Characteristics:

Meadow nemophila is a small, easy to miss wildflower with prostrate or procumbent stems up to 30 cm long. The stems are simple or branched, usually mostly hairless. The leaves are opposite with with short hairs lining the the margins of the winged petioles. The blades are deeply pinnatifid and range from 6-25 mm long and 5-17 mm wide. Their are 2-3 pairs of rounded lateral lobes.

The calyx lobes are 1.5-4 mm long. The flowers are bell-shaped and 2-6 mm wide. The petals are pale lavender, or white marked with lavender.

Habitat:

Meadow nemophila may be found in moist, open places, including meadows and bottom lands.

Range:

Meadow nemophila may be found from southern Vancouver Island south through western Washington and throughout Oregon and California to parts of Baja California, and east to southern Idaho and Nevada.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-2200' from near Bingen, WA east to near Horsethief Lake State Park.

Calyx and corolla of Synonym: Viticella pedunculata - Synonym: Viticella pedunculata - Synonym: Viticella pedunculata

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

Developing fruit and long calyx lobes of Little-foot Nemophila, Meadow Baby-blue-eyes, Meadow Nemophila, Spreading Nemophila: Nemophila pedunculata (Synonym: Viticella pedunculata) - Stem leaf of Little-foot Nemophila, Meadow Baby-blue-eyes, Meadow Nemophila, Spreading Nemophila: Nemophila pedunculata (Synonym: Viticella pedunculata)

Close-ups of the calyx and developing fruit plus a stem leaf of meadow nemophila as seen in upper Swale Canyon, Klickitat Canyon...............May 8, 2010. Note the long auricles (projections which are reflexed backwards between the calyx lobes) which are at least one-half the length of the calyx lobes. Note also the slender lobes on the leaf.
Paul Slichter