Hi All,

Please excuse the length of (& # of pictures in) this post. I thought I would summarize some trips I've taken recently. Also please see the sister post asking for ID's on several plants. Sorry if some pictures don't work for you, they've been known to misbehave.

First, for our 2nd annual Memorial Day trip to Southern OR. On the hills, the land is dry open pine forest with some fir mixed in; however, in the valley areas, there is plenty of water. The juxtaposition of very dry and very wet makes for some interesting habitats.

We camped next to this river.

In the dry areas on the hills, losts of wildflowers were blooming: paintbrushes, onion, lillies, calochortus, iris, etc.

Allium falcifolium @ 3 inches tall.

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Calochortus tolmiei, Cat's Ear.

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The rare Lillium bolanderi were not open yet, but were noticably prevalent in localized areas so that the giant red flower was unneeded for locating them.

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Trillium kurabayashii at it's end in a denser part of the forest. Trillium rivale were out in the more open areas.

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Lots of interesting insects. If anyone has an ID for any of the 4 shown, I'd appreciate it.

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Iris bracteata (I think).

Despite the dryness of most of the hills, many creeks flow down often spreading out across large areas creating boggy areas in the serpentine sandy ground. That's Lisa in the background, for scale. This particular bog extends to the left and up the steep hill more than 100yards. Quite a sight!

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A closeup of a Darlingtonia californica flower.

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There are lots of Western Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale) phenotypes. Here's a sampling. They make the whole valley smell sweet.

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Here are several pictures of Cypripedium californicum, which is endemic only to S OR and N CA.

In Situ.

Single.

When a bug gets trapped and can't find their way out.

A rare goof up. The flowers are bound at the flower-end of the capsule where the lateral petal would be.

Some plants have their root stock 5 ft below the annual high river mark: a surprise for Cyps. These plants weren't flowering yet, and this strangeness leads me to think that they might actually be Epipactis gigantea...

There are lots of Platanthera all over too. They smell very strongly of honey.

After years of searching (in the wrong places, mostly) we finally got some photos of Cypripedium fasciculatum. Although "widespread" throughout CA, OR, WA, CO, MT and ID, they are rare in their range. In OR, they persist in the South only; however, there are data for this species right across the Columbia river in Southern Washington, 1 mile from Northern OR...

We also visited Mt Hood in Northern OR this past weekend. Here're some photos of Cypripedium montanum. This species is very fragrant as well: spicy sweet like Cyp pubescens. This species does give me contact dermatitis similar to poision ivy/oak every year as my finger or forearm accidentally brushes up against a leaf as I'm getting a picture. The tiny irritating hairs are also transferable, so when you itch your eyes later... Oi.

Forma welchii, with noticable pink around the rim of the lip.

Back at home, here're a few pictures from spring.

Galearis spectabilis.

Now the non-native ones. Excuse me.

Bletilla formosanum flowering inconveniently in February.

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And last, a hybrid Pleione at a friend's greenhouse.

Enjoy,

Ross Kouzes