Hydrophyllaceae
Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii

Ball-Head Waterleaf

Erect stem with spreading leaves. Stem very short. Leaves 2–5 in. long, arising from stem with petioles 1–6 in. tall, divided pinnately, with 5–7 rounded leaflets. Flowers on stalks equal to or surpassing the leaves; petals 5, purple to white; calyx bell-shaped, hairy; stamens, style exserted beyond petals. Grows in moist slopes, woodlands, sagebrush-steppe, including Columbia River Gorge, at low to higher elevations. Hydrophyllum occidentale also has flowers in a ball above leaves, but leaflets have 2–4 teeth per side and foliage is hairier; found from Coast Range to Cascades, central Oregon to California

  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Flowering Time: All Spring
  • Life Cycle: Perennial
  • Height: 4--16 inches
  • Habitat: East-Side Forest
  • Found In: Columbia Basin
  • Native: Yes

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