Field Guide to Forest Plants of Northern Idaho

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Ft. Collins, CO General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-118-CD February 2004 Authors Acknowledgments Introduction Species description format Trees Shrubs Ferns & Friends Forbs Graminoids Descriptive drawings Collecting and    pressing methods Glossary References

Forb characteristics Species Persistence Life cycle Size Leaf Flower Fruit Comment Arrangement Type Color Inflorescence # Shape Color Type NONGREEN Corallorhiza spp. Deciduous Perennial M-L Alternate Bracts Red / yellow Raceme 3 Orchid Red / yellow Capsule parasitic Pterospora andromedea Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Bracts Yellow Raceme 5 Urn-shaped Red brown Capsule parasitic GREEN    Whorled    Evergreen Cornus canadensis Evergreen Perennial S-M Whorled Simple entire White Cluster 4 Regular Red Drupe   Trientalis latifolia Evergreen Perennial S-M Whorled Simple entire Pink Single 6/7 Regular - Capsule uncommon    Whorled    Deciduous Frasera fastigiata Deciduous Perennial XL Whorled Simple entire Blue Panicle 4 Regular - Capsule   Galium spp. Deciduous Per. - ann. M Whorled Simple entire White Panicle 4 Tubular - Capsule square stem Trillium ovatum Deciduous Perennial S-M Whorled Simple entire White Single 3 Regular Yellow Berry      Basal    Evergreen    Compound leaves Coptis occidentalis Evergreen Perennial S Basal Entire trifoliate White Head 5 Regular - Follicle golden root    Basal    Evergreen    Simple leaves Asarum caudatum Evergreen Perennial S Alternate (basal) Simple cordate Maroon Single 3 Irregular - Capsule ginger odor Goodyera oblongifolia Evergreen Perennial S Basal Simple entire White - green Spike 3 Orchid Green Capsule white mottled leaves Heuchera cylindrica Evergreen Perennial S-XL Basal Simple palmate toothed White - green yellow Panicle 5 Bell-shaped - Capsule   Pyrola asarifolia Evergreen Perennial S-L Basal Simple entire Pink - Purple red Raceme 5 Irregular - Capsule   Synthyris spp. Evergreen (deciduous) Perennial S-L Basal Simple cordate Blue violet / blue purple Raceme 4 Bilabiate - Capsule   Viola orbiculata Evergreen Perennial S Basal Simple cordate Yellow Single 5 Regular - Capsule   Xerophyllum tenax Evergreen Perennial L-XL Basal Simple linear toothed White Raceme 3 Regular - Capsule      Basal    Deciduous    Compound leaves Anemone piperi Deciduous Perennial M-L Basal (whorled) Compound trifoliate toothed White Single 5-6 Regular - Achene   Fragaria spp. Deciduous Perennial M Basal Compound trifoliate toothed White Cluster 5 Regular Red Berry strawberry Ligusticum spp. Evergreen Perennial L-XL Basal (alternate) Pinnate White / pink Umbel 5 Regular - Schizocarp   Lomatium spp. Deciduous Perennial M-XL Basal (alternate) Compound pinnate toothed Yellow / white / pink Umbel 5 Regular - Schizocarp      Basal    Deciduous    Simple leaves Balsamorhiza sagittata Deciduous Perennial M-XL Basal Simple arrowhead Yellow Head 5 Composite - Achene   Calypso bulbosa Deciduous Perennial S-M Basal Simple entire Purple Single 3 Orchid - Capsule   Clintonia uniflora Deciduous Perennial S Basal Simple entire White Single 3 Regular Blue Berry  hairy leaves Dodecatheon jeffreyi Deciduous Perennial S-L Basal Simple entire Purple Umbel 4-5 Regular - Capsule unique flowers Erythronium grandiflorum Deciduous Perennial S-M Basal Simple entire Yellow Raceme 3 Regular Green Capsule bald leaves Habenaria spp. Deciduous Perennial M-L Basal Simple entire White / green / yellow green Raceme 3 Orchid - Capsule   Hieracium spp. Deciduous Perennial S-XL Basal (alternate) Simple entire Yellow / white Head 5 Composite - Achene hairy leaves Mitella spp. Deciduous Perennial S-L Basal Simple cordate toothed Green / white Raceme 5 Regular - Capsule   Trautvetteria caroliniensis Deciduous Perennial L-XL Basal (alternate) Simple palmate toothed lobed White / green Cluster 4 Regular - Achene riparian    Opposite    Deciduous    Compound leaves Valeriana sitchensis Deciduous Perennial L-XL Opposite Compound pinnate toothed White Cluster 5 Tubular - Achene      Opposite    Deciduous    Simple leaves Apocynum androsaemifolium Deciduous Perennial M-L Opposite Simple entire Pink Cyme 5 Bell-shaped - Follicle milky sap Arenaria macrophylla Deciduous Perennial S-L Opposite Simple entire White Cyme 5 Regular - Capsule   Arnica cordifolia Deciduous Perennial S-L Opposite Simple cordate toothed Yellow Head 5 Composite - Achene   Arnica latifolia Deciduous Perennial S-L Opposite Simple entire (toothed) Yellow Head 5 Composite - Achene   Circaea alpina Deciduous Perennial S-L Opposite Simple toothed (entire) White Raceme 2 Regular - Capsule   Geranium viscosissimum Deciduous Perennial L-XL Opposite Simple palmate toothed Purple Cyme single 5 Regular - Capsule sticky plant Hypericum perforatum Deciduous Perennial L-XL Opposite Simple entire Yellow Cyme 5 Regular - Capsule holey leaves Listera spp. Deciduous Perennial S-M Opposite Simple entire Green Raceme 3 Orchid Green Capsule   Montia spp. Deciduous Perennial S Opposite (basal) Simple entire cordate White Raceme 5 Regular Black Capsule   Prunella vulgaris Deciduous Perennial S-L Opposite (basal) Simple entire Purple Spike 5 Bilabiate - Achene square stems Silene menziesii Deciduous Perennial S-M Opposite Simple entire White Cyme 5 Tubular - Schizocarp      Alternate    Evergreen Pyrola secunda Evergreen Perennial S Alternate Simple toothed White Raceme 5 Irregular - Capsule one-sided raceme Sedum stenopetalum Evergreen Perennial S-M Alternate Simple linear Yellow Cyme 5 Regular - Follicle succulent    Alternate    Deciduous    Compound leaves Actaea rubra Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Compound lobed toothed White Cluster 5 Regular Red Berry poisonous berries Angelica arguta Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Compound pinnate toothed White Umbel 5 Irregular - Schizocarp   Aquilegia spp. Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate (basal) Compound lobed trifoliate Yellow / red Single 5 Irregular - Follicle unique flowers Aralia nudicaulis Deciduous Perennial M-L Alternate Compound pinnate toothed Green Umbel 5 Regular Pink Berry north of Cd'A Heracleum lanatum Deciduous Perennial XL Alternate Compound palmate toothed White Umbel 5 Irregular - Schizocarp   Lathyrus nevadensis Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Compound pinnate White Raceme 5 Pea-flower - Pod unbranched tendrils Ligusticum spp. Deciduous Perennial L-XL Alternate (basal) Compound pinnate White / pink Umbel 5 Regular - Schizocarp   Osmorhiza chilensis Deciduous Perennial L-XL Alternate Compound lobed toothed trifoliate Green - white Umbel 5 Regular Black Schizocarp   Polemonium pulcherrimum Deciduous Perennial L Alternate (basal) Compound Blue Cluster 5 Bell-shaped - Capsule skunk-like odor Potentilla spp. Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate (basal) Compound pinnate digitate toothed Yellow Cluster 5 Regular Green Achene   Thalictrum occidentale Deciduous Perennial L-XL Alternate Compound lobed Greenish white - purple Panicle 4-5 Irregular Green purple Achene dioecious Thermopsis montana Deciduous Perennial L-XL Alternate Compound trifoliate Yellow Raceme 5 Pea-flower - Follicle poisonous fruits Tiarella trifoliata Deciduous Perennial M-L Alternate (basal) Compound lobed trifoliate toothed White Panicle 5 Bell-shaped - Capsule   Vicia americana Deciduous Perennial M-L Alternate Compound entire Blue purple Raceme 5 Pea-flower - Pod tendrils    Alternate    Deciduous    Simple leaves Achillea millefolium Deciduous Perennial S-XL Alternate (basal) Simple pinnate White Cluster 5 Composite - Achene   Aconitum columbianum Deciduous Perennial L-XL Alternate Simple lobed Purple blue Raceme 5 Irregular - Follicle unique flowers Adenocaulon bicolor Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Simple arrowhead White Head 5 Composite - Achene leaves wooly below Anaphalis margaritacea Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Simple entire linear White Head 5 Composite - Achene   Antennaria racemosa Deciduous Perennial S-L Alternate (basal) Simple entire Green Head 5 Composite - Achene   Aster conspicuus Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Simple toothed Blue / violet Head 5 Composite - Achene sandpapery leaves Campanula rotundifolia Deciduous Perennial S-XL Alternate (basal) Simple cordate linear Blue Single 5 Bell-shaped - Capsule milky sap Cardamine constancei Deciduous Perennial M Alternate Simple lobed Pink Raceme 4 Regular - Silique uncommon Disporum spp. Deciduous Perennial S-L Alternate Simple entire White Single 3 Bell-shaped Red / yellow Berry branched stems Epilobium angustifolium Deciduous Perennial S-XL Alternate Simple linear Pink - purple Raceme 4 Regular Green - red Capsule common in clearcuts Erigeron peregrinus Deciduous Perennial S-XL Alternate Simple entire Purple Head 5 Composite - Achene   Mertensia paniculata Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Simple entire Blue Cluster 5 Tubular - Nutlet riparian Pedicularis spp. Deciduous Perennial S-XL Alternate Simple pinnate toothed White / purple / yellow Raceme 5 Bilabiate - Capsule   Phacelia heterophylla Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Simple lobed entire White - purple Cluster 5 Tubular - Capsule   Ranunculus uncinatus Deciduous Per. (ann.) M-L Alternate Simple cordate lobed Yellow Single 5 Regular - Achene   Senecio triangularis Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Simple arrowhead toothed Yellow Head 5 Composite - Achene riparian Smilacina spp. Deciduous Perennial M-XL Alternate Simple entire White Panicle / raceme 3 Regular Red - green Berry   Streptopus amplexifolius Deciduous Perennial L-XL Alternate Simple entire Greenish white Single 3 Bell-shaped Orange Berry twisted pedicel Veratrum spp. Deciduous Perennial XL Alternate Simple entire White / green Panicle 3 Regular - Capsule poisonous Viola spp. Deciduous Perennial S-M Alternate (basal) Simple toothed Violet / yellow / white Single 5 Regular - Capsule   - = "to"          / = "or"          () = "can also be" Size:          S: 0-15cm (0-6in)          M: 15-30cm (6-12in)          L: 3-6dm (12-24in)          XL: 6dm+ (24in+)