Fleshy jaumea

Fleshy jaumea (Jaumea carnosa) is in the Asteraceae family - this succulent, estuarine species spreads by rhizomes and is pictured above along with pickleweed (Salicornia virginica). The inflorescence is a yellow composite that occurs between July and September. Leaves are opposite and linear-oblong.

Puget Sound gumweed

Puget Sound gumweed (Grindelia integrifolia) is a perennial in the Asteraceae family common in salt marshes and along the coast. This species flowers between June and October - blooms are large yellow composites. Mature individuals are 12-30 inches in height. Leaves along the stem are clasping at the base and alternate in arrangement. Flowers occur both singly and as clusters on leafy stalks. This species also occurs in inland meadows.

Manroot (Marah oreganus)

Native to Washington and most commonly occurring on the west side of the state, manroot(Marah oreganus) is a perennial vine in the Cucurbitaceae family. The east side counterpart is an annual species, wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata). Manroot's inflorescence consists of a tubular corolla with five flaring lobes (pictured above). Fruits are an inflated gourd-like structure covered in spines (pictured below). This individual was photographed in Pioneer Park in Tumwater. The Cucurbitaceae family also includes pumpkins, squash and zucchini - key characteristics of the family are the vining habit, tendrils, and funnel-shaped flowers that form large, three- to four-celled fruits (Elpel).

Pioneer violet (Viola glabella), also known as Stream violet, is in the Violaceae family. Found in moist shady situations at low to mid elevations. Other native violets with a yellow bloom are either found in drier woods (V. nuttallii), in prairies with larger grayish leaves (V. praemorsa), at moderate elevations in the mountains (V. bakeri), have round leaves (V. orbiculata), have evergreen foliage (V. sempirvirens) or occur on the east side of the state. The above specimen was photographed at the Chehalis Surge Plain Natural Area Preserve, located outside of Aberdeen.

Cuscuta salina

Cuscuta salina (salt-marsh dodder) lacks chlorophyll and occurs as a symbiont on Salicornia virginica (pickleweed) or less commonly on other salt-marsh species. Stems are yellow to bright orange in color, leaves are much-reduced scales, and flowers are small, bell-shaped and white. This is the only dodder species that occurs in saline environments in our area. Cuscuta salina derives nutrients through haustoria that penetrate the host plant vascular system. Dodder is at least partially attracted to host plants by airborne volatile chemical cues.

Haustorium (pl. haustoria) = a specialized root-like organ used by parasitic plants to draw nourishment from host plants.

Fritillaria affinis

Pretty spectacular, this species. I'm a big fan of a muted pallet of earth tones so this bloom is up there as one of my favorites. Fritillaria affinis (chocolate lily) flowers in midspring and is common in moist meadows and forests and in coastal herbaceous communities. In the Lilaceae (Lily) family. The scent of this inflorescence is subtle but potent and not for the faint-of-heart - a fetid rank scent that attracts fly and insect pollinators. Treated as F. lanceolata in Hitchcock. 

There are three other native Fritillaria and all are easy to tell apart. One is an east side species: F. pudica(yellow bells) with yellow flowers in early spring. F. atropurpurea (spotted mountain bells) occurs in east-side forests, alpine and subalpine communities and has blooms that are similar in color as the chocolate lily but tepals are noticeably shorter, leaves are also thinner. F. camschatcensis (Kamchatka fritillary) occurs from King County north in coastal communities and has maroon-colored blooms with parallel ridges on the inside of the petals (Turner & Gustafson). Fritillary flowers are generally nodding, often mottled, gland-bearing near the base, and have six stamens that are shorter than the tepals (Hitchcock).

Cardamine nuttallii

Cardamine nuttallii (Nuttall's toothwart) is also known as beautiful bittercress because of those showy blooms. The leaves at the base (not shown) are entire and look pretty similar to Cardamine angulata (angeled bittercress).



Cauline leaves (shown below) have 3-5 entire leaflets and occur midway up the stem. This species is common throughout western Washington in moist forests. Family is Brassicaceae (Mustard) - flowers have four petals and four sepals, four tall stamens and two short stamens; seed pods (called silicles or siliques) split open from both sides to expose a clear membrane in the middle; superior, bicarpellate ovaries (Elpel).



cauline = of, on or pertaining to the stem, as leaves arising from the stem above ground level.
silicle = a dry, dehiscent fruit of the Brassicaceae family, typically less than twice as long as wide, with two valves separating from the persistent placentae and septum.
silique = a dry, dehiscent fruit of the Brassicaceae family, typically more than twice as long as wide, with two valves separating from the persistent placentae adn septum.
bicarpellate = with two carpels.
placenta (plural placentae) = the portion of the ovary bearing ovules.
septum (plural septa) = a partition, as the partitions separating the locules of an ovary.
locule = chamber of cavity of an organ, as in teh cell of an ovary containing the seed or the pollen bearing compartment of an anther. (All definitions Harris and Harris)