Category Archives: Trip to Spokane

31 March 2013 – Maiden Blue-eyed Mary – Collinsia parviflora

Maiden Blue-eyed Mary

The tiny-flowered Maiden Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia parviflora Lindl.) is native to most of western North America and to Michigan, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island. This member of the Plantaginaceae family is a spring ephermal that is commonly overlooked under other larger flowers.

Maiden Blue-eyed Mary

“Collinsia” was named for Zaccheus Collins, 1764-1831, eminent botanist from Philadelphia.  “Parviflora” is Latin for “small-flowered”.

 

(These photos were taken at the Eastbound Ryegrass Summit Rest Area, 31 March 2013 by Bill Harms)

Reference:
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Blue%20Purple%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/collinsia%20parviflora.htm

31 March 2013 – Curve-seed Butterwort – Ceratocephala testiculata

Seed head with prickly seeds

The Curve-seed Butterwort (Ceratocephala testiculata (Crantz) Roth) is a member of the Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae) which is native to Eurasia, but has become invasive throughout much of North America (except for the South and New England).

In sagebrush communities, it is one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring after the snows melt. In some areas it creates large dense yellow carpets. It can also be found in waste areas by roadsides and in other urban settings. I noticed it was invading in Spokane, where it was not there some 30 or more years ago.

Diminutive flower

 

It is generally only 0.5 to 2 or 3 inches tall. The minute flower gives way to a 0.25 inch layered horny seed pod that dries and becomes very prickly.

“Ceratocephala” is Greek for “hornhead” and “orthocera” is Greek for “straight horn”.

(Pictures taken at the Eastbound Ryegrass Summit Rest Area and between a sidewalk and a street in Spokane.)

Mature plant with seed heads

 

Reference:

http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/ceratocephala%20orthocera.htm

31 March 2013 – Cusick’s Rockcress – Boechera cusickii

Cusick’s Rockcress
Boechera cusickii (S. Watson) Al-Shehbaz

A member of Brassicaceae (Mustard Family), the Cusick’s Rockcress (Boechera cusickii (S. Watson) Al-Shehbaz) is found in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada. It was formerly called (Arabis cusickii S. Watson) before it was reclassified based on recent DNA studies. It is a spring ephemeral that prefers sagebrush and other other xeric (dry) communities. (These photos were taken at the Vantage Overlook and the Eastbound Ryegrass Summit Rest Area.)

Cusick’s Rockcress
Boechera cusickii (S. Watson) Al-Shehbaz

 

 

The plant may be identified by its clustered flowers, leafy stems and pendulous fruiting bodies or “siliques”. Its silvery-green color comes from fine hairs that cover the foliage.

It is named after William Conklin Cusick (1842-1942) was an Oregon school-teacher, rancher, and botanist who collected and described many plants native to Oregon’s mountains.

Cusick’s Rockcress
Boechera cusickii (S. Watson) Al-Shehbaz
Cusick’s Rockcress
Boechera cusickii (S. Watson) Al-Shehbaz
Cusick’s Rockcress
Boechera cusickii (S. Watson) Al-Shehbaz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference:

http://www.larkspurbooks.com/brassic2.html

1 December 2011 – Ponderosa Pine

I spent a few days on vacation over Thanksgiving in Washington State and took a few pictures of nature while there.

While driving up to my parent’s place on Pleasant Prairie, I stopped by Plantes Ferry Park and took some pictures of Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson. subsp. ponderosa ) along the Spokane River. It was first described by Stephen Douglass in 1826. The exact type location (the place where a species of plant was first collected) of this pine species is described as along the Spokane River near present-day Spokane. Although precise location is not known, I decided to take some pictures in a location as described as its type location.

The Ponderosa Pine has at least a couple of superlatives attached to it. It is perhaps the most widespread species of pine in North America and at 286 feet, one specimen holds the record for the tallest pine of any species. It is also the state tree of Montana.

The most common subspecies (the one pictured here) features three long stout needles per cluster. Its orange colored bark is rather distinctive. It can form deep crevices and the outer bark is made up of flake which resemble jigsaw pieces that are stacked.

It is the most common tree around Spokane and can be seen almost everywhere.