[Valerians and Heliotropes: The Genus Valeriana East of the Cascade
Mts. of Oregon and Washington]
Cordilleran Valerian, Downy-fruited Valerian, Forest Valerian
Valeriana acutiloba var. pubicarpa
Synonyms: Valeriana capitata ssp. pubicarpa, Valeriana
pubicarpa
Downy-fruited valerian blooming atop the cliffs at the head of Kiger Gorge, Steens Mountain...........July 11, 2014.
Photo
at right of a stem leaf (left) and basal leaf (right) of downy-fruited valerian
from the Rooster Comb, Steens Mt., southeastern Oregon.........June 23, 1999.
Characteristics:
Downy-fruited valerian is a short-stemmed (10-60 cm high) perennial
with fibrous roots from a thick, branched rhizome, and smooth herbage. The basal
leaves are lanceolate to oblanceolate or spatulate in shape up to 8 cm long
and 3.5 cm wide (See photo at right and below.). The lowermost of the 1-3 pairs
of stem leaves are often undivided and petiolate, while the upper pairs of leaves
are often pinnatifid with several or few short lateral lobes (See photo at right.)
which are rarely as much as 1 cm wide.
The inflorescence is congested and from 1.5-5 cm wide in bloom
and about as wide in fruit. The flowers are perfect with white corollas 4-7
mm long and the 5 petals or lobes of the corolla less than half as long as the
tube. The stamens are well exserted from the mouth of the corolla.
Habitat:
Downy-fruited valerian may be found on open, often rocky slopes
at moderate to high elevations in the mountains. It is often found near melting
snow banks.
Range:
Downy-fruited valerian may be found east of the crest of the
Cascades in Oregon east through the Blue Mts and Steens Mt. east to the Rocky
Mts. of southwestern Montana, and south to Arizona, New Mexico, and California.
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Downy-fruited valerian blooming atop the cliffs at the head of Kiger Gorge, Steens Mountain...........July 11, 2014.
Downy-fruited valerian with flower buds forming as seen on a rocky ridge directly to the north of Jackman Park, Steens Mountain of southeastern Oregon.............June 2, 2012. Note the broad, oblanceolate leaf blades lacking lateral lobes.
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Downy-fruited valerian beginning to bloom near the summit of Round Mt., Ochoco National Forest..........May 28, 2016.
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What appears to be downy-fruited valerian observed along the Hanan Trail 142 near the upper Sycan Wild and Scenic River about one mile upstream from the trailhead on FS Road 28, Fremont-Winema National Forest......June 17, 2020. There's a possibility this could be Valeriana columbiana. I'll have to return and take a closer look at the flowers and basal leaves to confirm this identification.
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California valerian observed atop Bald Butte which is about 8-10 miles north of Gearhart Mountain, Fremont-Winema National Forest........June 19, 2020. Note the short pubescence on the leaves and stem in the close-up images..
Valeriana acutiloba from Lookout
Mt., Ochoco N.F.........June 22, 1998.
Close-up of the inflorescence of downy-fruited
valerian from the Rooster Comb, Steens Mt., southeastern Oregon.........June
23, 1999.
Close-up of a basal leaf of downy-fruited valerian,
from the north loop road to the Steens Mt., southeastern Oregon, June 27, 1997.
Paul Slichter