Day 222: Earlier this month (May 7), I posted photos of Anemone lyallii, a less-common cousin of uncommon Anemone oregana. Today, while out with my geocaching partner on a muddy expedition covering logging roads and ATV trails, I discovered the latter species. "Wait! Wait! Back up! I see a plant I haven't seen before!" In point of fact, we'd passed the turnoff to the cache, so backing up was on the agenda anyway. Dan obligingly stopped when I yelled, "Anemone oregana! I'm sure of it!" and we both hopped out of the truck to be met with a strong breeze and light rain.
Dan offered a boot for a makeshift tripod as I got down on my knees in the ditch, several small alders threatening to take off my glasses or my ears, and then he held a pair of backpacker's sleeping pads to block the wind so I could get good documentation of this uncommon species. Even though I hadn't been geocaching in some time and was pleased to have found several over this excursion, finding a "life list" plant was definitely the high point of the day.
Oregana can be told from lyallii by its numerous stamens (35 or more) and larger size. These were at least twice the size of the lyallii I recorded at Longmire. The leaflets are somewhat more slender and pointy, and do not resemble columbine as much as those of lyallii.
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