OregonFlora: Xerophyllum tenax

	Xerophyllum tenax
	bear-grass, beargrass, western turkeybeard
Habit	Plants up to 1.5m tall.
Leaves	up to 80 cm × 2–5 mm; basal leaves in tufted and dense clumps; cauline leaves shorter and reduced upwards.
Inflorescences	to 60 cm tall; pedicels 2–5 cm.
Flowers	tepals 5–9 × 2–3 mm.
Fruits	5–7 mm.
Seeds	4 per locule.
2n	=30.

	Xerophyllum tenax
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Dry slopes and ridges, montane conifer forests. Flowering May–Jul. 0–2200m. Casc, CR, ECas, Est, Sisk. CA, ID, WA; north to British Columbia, northeast to MT. Native. Populations of this species have irregular cycles of abundant and sparse flowering. The cause of this is currently unknown but worthy of investigation.
Source	Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 317 Tamra Prior
Web links	Local floras: BC, CA, OR, WA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Xerophyllum tenax

bear-grass, beargrass, western turkeybeard

Habit

Plants up to 1.5m tall.

Leaves

up to 80 cm × 2–5 mm;

basal leaves in tufted and dense clumps;

cauline leaves shorter and reduced upwards.

Inflorescences

to 60 cm tall;

pedicels 2–5 cm.

Flowers

tepals 5–9 × 2–3 mm.

Fruits

5–7 mm.

Seeds

4 per locule.

=30.

Xerophyllum tenax

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Dry slopes and ridges, montane conifer forests. Flowering May–Jul. 0–2200m. Casc, CR, ECas, Est, Sisk. CA, ID, WA; north to British Columbia, northeast to MT. Native.

Populations of this species have irregular cycles of abundant and sparse flowering. The cause of this is currently unknown but worthy of investigation.

Source

Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 317
Tamra Prior

Web links