Natural History Wanderings

Oregon Wildflowers has a new report for Catherine Creek in the Columbia River Gorge for 3/19/16

The predominant flower is now Northwestern saxifrage (Saxifraga integrifolia), along with plenty of Gold star (Crocidium multicaule), Yellow Bell (Fritillaria pudica), Pungent Desert Parsley (Lomatium grayii), Piper`s Desert Parsley (Lomatium piperi), Smooth prairie star (Lithophragma glabrum), Western Buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis), small-flowered blue-eyed Mary (Collins parviflora), and Western Saxifrage (Saxifraga occidentalis).

Blooming above the arch: Gold star (Crocidium multicaule), many Yellow Bells (Fritillaria pudica), Columbia desert parsley (Lomatium columbianum), Smooth prairie star (Lithophragma glabrum); small-flowered blue-eyed Mary (Collins parviflora), tiny Chickweed Monkeyflower (Mimulus alsinoides), Annual Agoseris (Agoseris heterophylla var. heterophylla), and Poet`s Shooting Star (Dodecatheon poeticum) in wetter areas. The Meadow Death Camas (Zigadenus venenosus) is just starting to open… soon it will carpet the meadows. Also blooming were a few Menzie`s Larkspur (Delphinium menziesii), Rigid Fiddleneck (Amsinckia retrorsa), Tarweed Fiddleneck (Amsinckia lycopsoides), Naked Broomrape (Orobanche uniflora), and Weak-stem cryptantha (Cryptantha flaccida). I also saw a few Common Camas (Camassia quamash) plants, though none were blooming yet.

Though they are past peak, there are still a number of grass widows (Olsynium douglasii) at higher elevations.