lewisii – refers to Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the NW U.S., who collected the plant in 1806

Native range: NW North America & California

Leaves:

• opposite
• simple
• entire, serrulate or dentate
• 3–5 veined from base
• pubescent

Flowers:

• inflorescence:
  • terminal branched clusters (racemes) or solitary
  • 3-15 inches
• 4-merous, many stamens
• white or creamy w/pink spot at base of petal
• inferior ovary
• showy
• fragrant

Fruit:

• 4-valved woody dehiscent capsule
• contains numerous tiny, fusiform (tapered at both ends) seeds
• persistent

Other characteristics:

• deciduous shrub or tree to 15 ft.
• erect, loosely branched
• curving and drooping branches
• ~ flaky bark
• ~ climbing

Relevant info:

• state flower of Idaho
• common name refers to the sweetly fragrant flowers which, in single-flowered form, generally resemble orange blossoms

Ecology & Adaptations:

• native from British Columbia south to California, east to Montana
• widely distributed throughout Washington
• found in various habitats, dry to moist, open forests to forest edges on moist rich sites to open brushy areas on dry, rocky soils, rock outcrops, talus, cliffs, slopes in pine woodlands and forests, stream banks, seasonally dry ravines
• sea level to middle elevations (but up to 7000 ft. [2100 m.] on the hotter, drier east slopes of the Cascades)
• 0–2500 m.
• pollinated by hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, moths, and flies that are attracted to nectar
• seed dispersal by wind and gravity
• vegetative reproduction – re-sprouts from root crown
• fire resistance:
  • re-sprouts from root crown
  • regenerates from seeds in accumulated seed bank
• moderately shade tolerant
• moderately drought tolerant
• wildlife:
  • winter forage species for white-tailed deer and Rocky Mountain elk
  • seeds eaten by birds, such as quail, and squirrels