Silverleaf Phacelia (Phacelia hastata)

Upper Canyon Creek Meadows Trail, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, OR, 7/2019.

We found this guy holding on amidst alpine scree and snow near the crest of central Oregon’s Three Fingered Jack this summer. It’s furry silver leaves, like many Phacelia, capture water where there is little. It’s flower stalks stay near the ground to keep clear of strong winds.

We have identified this particular species on good authority (Thanks you, G.D. Carr) as P. Hastata, despite some confusion among our multiple sources.  Hastata translates as arrow-head, a reference to the oblong leaf shape.

Emerald Ridge, Mt. Rainier, WA, 7/2015.