Burke: Xerophyllum tenax

	Xerophyllum tenax
	beargrass, western turkeybeard
Habit	Perennial herbs from a short, thick rhizome, with dense clumps of elongate, wiry, grass-like leaves, the unbranched, leafy flowering stalks up to 15 dm. tall.
Leaves	Basal leaves scabrous, 1-6 dm. long and 1-4 mm. broad; cauline leaves numerous, grass-like, reduced upward.
Flowers	Inflorescence a terminal raceme, elongating up to 5 dm. in late flower; pedicels slender, 2.5-5 cm. long; perianth nearly rotate, cream colored; tepals 6, distinct, oblong, 6-8 mm. long; stamens 6, at least as long as the tepals.
Fruits	Capsule 5-7 mm. long, 3-lobed.

	Xerophyllum tenax
Flowering time	May-August
Habitat	Open woods and clearings, from near sea level on the Olympic Peninsula to high elevations in the Rockies.
Distribution	Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the northern Rocky Mountains. [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not of concern
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

beargrass, western turkeybeard

Habit

Perennial herbs from a short, thick rhizome, with dense clumps of elongate, wiry, grass-like leaves, the unbranched, leafy flowering stalks up to 15 dm. tall.

Leaves

Basal leaves scabrous, 1-6 dm. long and 1-4 mm. broad;

cauline leaves numerous, grass-like, reduced upward.

Flowers

Inflorescence a terminal raceme, elongating up to 5 dm. in late flower;

pedicels slender, 2.5-5 cm. long;

perianth nearly rotate, cream colored;

tepals 6, distinct, oblong, 6-8 mm. long;

stamens 6, at least as long as the tepals.

Fruits

Capsule 5-7 mm. long, 3-lobed.