Some SW Oregon stumpers

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payslee

Some SW Oregon stumpers

Post by payslee » May 21st, 2014, 7:40 am

I had the good fortune to spend some time down along the lower Rogue last week, which is all green and lush (and uncrowded), although that may change this holiday weekend.

Saw a bunch of flowers I'm having trouble with - you definitely notice that you're in a different eco-zone in this part of the state. Any help on these would be much appreciated!

All of these were found on a low-elevation, disturbed site. Many / all may be weeds or escaped ornamentals, although I didn't have any luck in my Weeds of the West book either (a great resource for non-conspicuous but common plants).

Anyway, here they are.

This one reminded me of Great Hounds tongue, but was littler and didn't have the big distinctive leaves. Possibly a cute little borage? Growing on damp, disturbed gravelly soil.
IMG_7189.jpg

My favorite of the mystery plants. I have no idea.
IMG_7190.jpg
I think this is a ceanothus, but I am not sure what kind. They were pretty common across this site. Most were bigger than this one but less than say, 5 feet tall.
IMG_7198.jpg
I think this is a Silene? Although not nearly as cool as Dawn's from just upriver! These were also relatively common across the grassy parts of the site.
IMG_7246.jpg
I think this one is a different ceanothus. It was quite tall, probably 10 feet, was growing in a moist / wet area, and was about the only one blooming.
IMG_7297.jpg
At first when I saw this one, I was like "oh cool, that must be a native thistle." but now I'm wondering - invasive knapweed? Growing on a dry, sandy/cobbly area above the Rogue River.
P5170021.jpg
Possibly the same type of plant, growing in an even more gravelly area close by the river.
P5170071.jpg
These little guys were growing on a damp sandbar along the shore.
P5170054.jpg
Sorry for the poor-quality photogenics! And thanks for any tips!

-payslee

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adamschneider
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Re: Some SW Oregon stumpers

Post by adamschneider » May 21st, 2014, 8:56 am

payslee wrote:This one reminded me of Great Hounds tongue, but was littler and didn't have the big distinctive leaves. Possibly a cute little borage? Growing on damp, disturbed gravelly soil.
It's probably a forget-me-not of some kind (Myosotis), which is in the borage family. Some forget-me-nots are native, some aren't, and it can be hard to distinguish between species.
payslee wrote:My favorite of the mystery plants. I have no idea.
Scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis). Definitely not native!
payslee wrote:I think this is a Silene?
Yeah, it's a catchfly (Silene), probably Silene gallica, which — you guessed it — is a weed. :)


(The others, I don't know, although your second suspected ceanothus is definitely a ceanothus!)

payslee

Re: Some SW Oregon stumpers

Post by payslee » May 21st, 2014, 10:08 am

Thanks Adam!

Although my picture is too crappy to tell, I'm now pretty sure the large Ceanothus is Ceanothus integerrimus, Deerbrush.

Here's a better pic of the more common ceanothus - which was a more compact shrub, and not blooming.
photo 33.jpg
And just for fun - here were some awesome tracks in a muddy tire rut. The tiny tiny ones are stumping us.
photo 5.jpg
-payslee

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adamschneider
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Re: Some SW Oregon stumpers

Post by adamschneider » May 21st, 2014, 10:19 am

I'm not sure that's deerbrush. Deerbrush usually has long poofy flower clusters... there's one growing at the Dog Mountain trailhead. My first thought for yours would have been blue-blossom (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus), which is common in coastal California.

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bobcat
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Re: Some SW Oregon stumpers

Post by bobcat » May 21st, 2014, 10:54 am

My thoughts:

1. Marsh forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides), a European weed

2. Scarlet pimpernel

3. I'd posit Ceanothus sanguineus, redstem ceanothus

4. Silene something

5. Probably C. thyrsiflorus because it's blooming right now. C. sanguineus blooms a little later.

6 & 7. Probably knapweed (Centaurea); there are many invasive species. Looking at the bracts (can't see in the photos) helps to distinguish them.

8. Probably a Rorippa, maybe blunt leaf yellow cress (R. curvipes)

The little tracks: front feet of a mouse or rat.

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