Scrophulariaceae

Synthyris missurica ssp. stellata

Columbia Kittentails

Clump of basal leaves, erect flower stem. Leaves with hairless petioles, thick, shiny, round, 1–2 1/2 in. wide, deeply cupped toward middle, edges deeply toothed and toothed again with sharp tips. Dense inflorescence 3–6 in. atop smooth stem, flowers on short brown-haired stalks, lavender to purple, few long soft hairs. Flower bell-shaped, 4 lobes about 1/4 in. long, blue stamens extending outward, pistil longer than stamens. Grows on shaded cliffs, banks in the Columbia Gorge from Crown Point to The Dalles. Subsp. missurica, more widespread, has smaller flowers on hairless stalks.

• Rarity: Endemic
• Flowering Time: Early Spring
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 5--12 inches
• Habitat: West-Side Forest
• Found In: West Gorge
• Native: Yes