[Wildflower Bloom in Central and Eastern Oregon: 2018]

Wildflowers of the Alder Springs Trail #855

Crooked River National Grasslands

Jefferson County, Oregon

May 11, 2018

View down into Whychus Creek from bunchgrass slopes along the Alder Springs Trail #855, Crooked River National Grasslands.......May 11, 2018.

View down into Whychus Creek from bunchgrass slopes along the Alder Springs Trail #855, Crooked River National Grasslands.......May 11, 2018.

* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.

Brown-eyed Wolf Lichen: Letharia columbiana - Common on western junipers.

Fragile Fern: Cystopteris fragilis

Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis

Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa - In riparian area.

Mountain Alder: Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia - Riparian zones.

Water Birch: Betula occidentalis

Willow: Salix sp.

* Small-fruited Bulrush: Scirpus microcarpus - Blooming on banks of Whychus Creek.

* Needlegrass: Achnatherum sp.

* Cheat Grass: Bromus tectorum

* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (ssp. ?) - Beginning to bloom.

Basin Wildrye: Leymus cinereus

* Sandberg's Bluegrass: Poa secunda ssp. secunda

Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata

* Medusahead: Taenitherum caput-medusae

* Rattail Fescue: Vulpia sp.

Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus var. macrocarpus - Leaves only.

Yellow Bells: Fritillaria pudica - Maturing pods.

* Sand Lily: Leucorinum montanum - Fading out of bloom.

False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule - In bud in riparian zone at Alder Springs.

* Panicled Deathcamas: Toxicoscordion paniculatum - Beginning to bloom.

Slender Buckwheat: Eriogonum microtheca var. laxiflorum

Snow Buckwheat: Eriogonum niveum

Rock Buckwheat: Eriogonum sphaerocephalum var. sphaerocephalum - In bud.

* Goose Lake Wild Buckwheat: Eriogonum strictum var. anserinum - Beginning to bloom.

* Heart-leaved Springbeauty: Claytonia cordifolia - In Alder Springs Creek.

* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana

* Erubescent Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia rubra ssp. depressa

* Bitterroot: Lewisia rediviva - Apricot-colored flowers.

Jagged Chickweed: Holosteum umbellatum

Western Columbine: Aquilegia formosa - Riparian area.

Hornseed Buttercup: Ceratocephala testiculata

* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum

Creeping Oregon Grape: Berberis repens

Pale Alyssum: Alyssum desertorum - Glabrous fruits.

* Rockcress: Boechera sp. - Lower leaves entire. Pink flowers.

* Western Tansymustard: Descurainia pinnata ssp. brachycarpa

Spring Whitlow-grass: Draba verna

Watercress: Nasturtium officinale

Daggerpods: Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides - Fruits maturing.

* Tumble Mustard: Sisymbrium altissimum

Leiberg's Stonecrop: Sedum leibergii - In bud.

Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina - On cliffs directly above the riparian areas.

* Wax Currant: Ribes cereum var. cereum

Mock Orange: Philadelphus lewisii - Leafing out.

* Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia (var. ?) - Blooming downslope in Alder Springs Creek.

* John Day Cinquefoil: Drymocallis campanulatum - Beginning to bloom.

Bush Ocean Spray: Holodiscus microphyllus var. glabrescens

* Domestic Apple or Pear: Malus sp. in riparian zone of Alder Springs Creek.

Chokecherry: Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa - In bud in riparian areas.

* Antelope Bitterbrush: Purshia tridentata - Beginning to bloom.

Pearhip Rose: Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana

* Stiff Milkvetch: Astragalus conjunctus var. conjunctus

* Pauper Milkvetch: Astragalus misellus var. misellus

Western Prairie Clover: Dalea ornata - In bud.

* Spurred Lupine: Lupinus caudatus (now L. arbustus ?) - Beginning to bloom. No pubescence on upper tips of wing petals.

White clover: Trifolium repens ? - Leaves. At ford of Whychus Creek.

Vetch: Vicia sp. - Leaves.

* Filaree: Erodium cicutarium - Fading out of bloom.

Smoothstem Blazingstar: Mentzelia laevicaulis var. laevicaulis - Last year's stems.

Tall Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum

Purple-leaved Willowherb: Epilobium ciliatum (ssp. ciliatum ?) - Disturbed riparian areas.

* Bur Chervil: Anthriscus caucalis - Disturbed riparian areas.

* Fennel Spring Parsley: Cymopterus terebinthinus var. foeniculaceus - Slopes below the rock formations.

Cow Parsnip: Heracleum maximum - Riparian areas.

Largefruit Desert Parsley: Lomatium macrocarpum - Past bloom.

* Nevada Desert Parsley: Lomatium nevadense var. nevadense

* Broad-fruit Lomatium: Lomatium triternatum ssp. platycarpum

Creek Dogwood: Cornus sericea

* Lewis' Blue Flax: Linum lewisii var. lewisii

Prickly Phlox: Linathus pungens

* Douglas' Phlox: Phlox douglasii - Fading out of bloom. - Glandular.

Varileaf Phacelia: Phacelia heterophylla ssp. virgata - In bud.

* Threadleaf Phacelia: Phacelia linearis - Beginning to bloom.

* Small-flowered Fiddleneck: Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii

* Cryptanth: Cryptantha sp. - Small flowers, branching form.

* Puccoon: Lithospermum ruderale

Dwarf Skullcap: Scutellaria nana - Numerous leaves.

* Desert Paintbrush: Castilleja chromosa

* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora - Fading out of bloom.

Monkeyflower: Erythranthe sp. - In Alder Springs Creek. - Only leaves.

Lowly Penstemon: Penstemon humilis - In bud.

Cutleaf Penstemon: Penstemon richardsonii var. richardsonii - On cliffs below rock formations.

Showy Penstemon: Penstemon speciosus ?

Common Mullein: Verbascum thapsus - Disturbed riparian areas.

Shrubby Bedstraw: Galium multiflorum var. multiflorum

Blue Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea - Leafing out.

* White Plectritis: Plectritis macrocera - Fading out of bloom.

Fuller's Teasel: Dipsacus fullonum - Disturbed riparian area.

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium - In bud.

* Low Pussytoes: Antennaria dimorpha - Fading out of bloom.

Stiff Sagebrush: Artemisia rigida

Big Sagebrush: Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata

* Carey's Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza careyana

* Rough Eyelashweed: Blepharipappus scaber

Yellow Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus var. viscidiflorus

Canada Thistle: Cirsium arvense - In riparian area.

Tapertip Hawksbeard: Crepis acuminata

* Gold Stars: Crocidium multicaule - Fading out of bloom.

Gray Rabbitbrush: Ericameria nauseosa (ssp. ?)

* Cushion Fleabane: Erigeron poliospermus var. poliospermus

Oregon Sunshine: Eriophyllum lanatum var. integrifolium

Prickly Lettuce: Lactuca serriola - On burnt, grassy slope.

* False Agoseris: Nothocalais troximoides

Woolly Groundsel: Packera cana

* Common Dandylion: Taraxacum officinale - Disturbed riparian areas.

Gray Horsebrush: Tetradymia canescens ?

Salsify: Tragopogon dubius


Animals Observed During This Hike:

Western Gopher Snake

Turkey Vulture

Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk

Northern Harrier

Black-billed Magpies

Common Ravens

Downy or Hairy Woodpecker - Heard.

Lewis' Woodpeckers - A pair feeding young in an old juniper.

European Starlings

Western Meadowlarks

Lazuli Buntings

Chipping Sparrows

Violet-green Swallows

White-throated Swifts

Cedar Hairstreak

Gray Hairstreak

Julia's Orangetips

Ochre Ringlets


Paul Slichter