[Baby Blue-eyes and Nemophilas: The Genus Nemophila West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila

Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora

Close-up of a flower and leaves of Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora

Small-flowered nemophila as seen along the Springwater Trail between Powell Butte and Linnemann Junction, west of Gresham, OR........May 23, 2011.

Characteristics:

Wood's nemophila is a small, easy to miss wildflower with prostrate or procumbent stems from 5-15 cm long. The leaves are mostly opposite, ovate, and pinnately 5 lobed with the blade longer than the leaf stem. The leaf blades range from 1-3.5 cm long and .8-2.5 cm wide and the lower lobes are often as large or larger than the terminal lobe. The flowers as the species name parviflora indicate are small, ranging from 2-5 mm wide. The flowers are short, tubular, 5-petaled with white or lavender coloration. The corolla is about equal to or slightly longer than the bristle-edged calyx lobes.


Varieties:

variety austinae: The leaves are all opposite on the stems, and they are firmer, smaller in size, and less deeply cleft (See photo at right.). Found at moderate and higher elevations on the east side of the Cascades.

variety parviflora: The leaves are usually opposite on the stems, but some of the upper leaves may be alternate. The leaves tend to be thin and deeply cleft, with the lobes often toothed or narrowed at their bases. Found at lower altitudes on the west side of the Cascades.


Habitat:

Wood's nemophila may be found on wooded slopes or other shady places from the valleys to moderate elevations in the mountains.


Range:

Wood's nemophila may be found from southern British Columbia south to California and east to central Idaho and northern Utah.


Close-up of a flower and leaves of Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora - Lower stem leaves of Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora

Additional close-up photos of smallflower nemophila. Note that the lateral leaf lobes are petiolate or at least deeply incised at their base........Photographed along the Springwater Trail to the east of Gresham, OR........April and May, 2011.

Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora - Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora

Newly emerged sprouts of smallflower nemophila observed along the Crown Zellerbach (CZ) Trail between Scapoose and Vernonia, OR.....January 29, 2022.

Smallflower Nemophila, Small-flowered Nemophila, Wood's Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora

Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora from the Old Barlow Rd near Welches, OR....April 1989.

Paul Slichter