This website provides information on the plants of Moscow Mountain. A list of the vascular plants of Moscow Mountain is available in two forms: 1. arranged by plant family, and 2. arranged by genus. Both lists provide scientific (binomial) and common names for the vascular plants known to be on the mountain as well as information on the habitats in which they are located. The list of plants was modified from a floristic study of Moscow Mountain by B. Chichester (1955). Select highlighted names from either of the plant lists to see photographs and obtain additional information about the plants. The acquisition of photographs and information on each kind of vascular plant on Moscow Mountain is an ongoing project so please have patience with us while we continue to develop this website. We provide an annotated bibliography that lists books and other publications on the flora of the Pacific Northwest, especially the Palouse region, that can help you to identify plants and learn about plant communities.
The flora of Moscow Mountain as we know it now has 374 kinds or species of vascular plants. They are members of 52 families and include flowering plants (angiosperms, including monocots and dicots), conifers (gymnosperms), horsetails (sphenophytes), and ferns (pteridophytes). The forests of Moscow Mountain differ on the north and south slopes.
The forests of the north slope are centered on cedar-grand fir communities. The most common coniferous tree of the north slope is western red cedar (Thuja plicata). The most common plants along the forest floor include: Actaea rubra, Anemone piperi, Asarum caudatum, Cornus canadensis, Disporum trachycarpum, Lonicera utahensis, Pyrola bracteata, Pyrola uniflora, Ribes lacustre, Rubus parviflora, Thalictrum occidentale, Tiarella trifoliata, Trillium ovatum, Viola glabella, and Viola orbiculata.
The forests of the south slope are dominated by ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). At the higher elevations of the south slope the ponderosa pine is mixed with Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and tamarack (larch; Larix occidentalis). Common understory plants of these forests include: Calypso bulbosa, Castilleja miniata, Clematis columbiana, Frasera fastigata, Lonicera ciliosa, Pachistima myrsinites, Prunus emarginata, Rosa gymnocarpa, Trillium ovatum, and Vaccinium membranaceum.
The ravines of the south slope have cedar-grand fir communities similar to those of the north slope. Common plants of the forest understory in the riparian zone of these ravines can include: Alnus sinuata, Betula occidentalis, Carex geyeri, Cerastium vulgare, Cornus stolonifera, Crataegus douglasii, Cystopteris fragilis, Equisetum arvense, Juncus ensifolius, Mimulus guttatus, Populus tremuloides, Ranunculus uncinatus, and Urtica dioica.
Small areas of grassland and steppe vegetation can be found around the base of Moscow Mountain, but the areas where those types of plant communities were present before the arrival of settlers are now used typically for agriculture.
For additional information on the plants of Moscow Mountain or the Pacific Northwest, please inquire at the Marion Ownbey Herbarium or examine some of the materials listed in the bibliography.
Larry Hufford
Director, Marion Ownbey Herbarium
22 July 1997
Abrams, L. 1940-1951. Illustrated flora of the Pacific States: Washington, Oregon, and California. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford. 3 volumes--Technical keys and descriptions of the plants of the west coast states. Many of the scientific names used in this book are not up-to-date and numerous plants have been found in this region since its publication, but it remains the only reference work that covers the entire west coast region.
Chichester, B. W. 1955. Plants of Moscow Mountain, Palouse Range, Idaho. M. S. Thesis, University of Idaho.-- This is the primary reference for the flora of Moscow Mountain In addition to a species list for the mountain, it provides information on the plant communities and introduced plants of Moscow Mountain.
Cooper, S. V., K. E. Neiman, D. W. Roberts, 1991. Forest Habitat Types of Northern Idaho: A Second Approximation. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-236.-- This report provides a general introduction to forests northern Idaho and technical descriptions of the mature habitat types in those forests, using the community classifications developed by Daubenmire (see listings below). Photographs of forest habitats are included.
Daubenmire, R. 1970. Steppe Vegetation of Washington. Washington Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 62: 1-131.--This is a classic study of steppe vegetation that includes information relevant to Kamiak Butte and the Palouse region.
Daubenmire, R. and J. B. Daubenmire, 1968. Forest vegetation of eastern Washington and northern Idaho.--Descriptions of the forest communities in this area.
Fiely, J. R. 1979. Floristic Study of Kamiak Butte. M.S. Thesis, Washington State University.--This is the primary reference for the flora of Kamiak Butte. In addition to a species list for the butte, it provides information on the weeds, relictual species, plant communities, and paleogeography of Kamiak Butte.
Gaines, X. M. and D. G. Swan, 1972. Weeds of Eastern Washington and Adjacent Areas. Camp-Na-Bor-Lee, Davenport.--Useful descriptions of the physical characteristics of the weeds of eastern Washington are provided. Each plant is shown in a color illustration.
Gilkey, H. M. 1957. Weeds of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State College, Corvallis.--Although many of the scientific names used in this book are not up-to-date, it has some of the most useful information on weeds of our area. Each plant is well illustrated by simple line drawings.
Hitchcock, A. S. (revision by A. S. Chase), 1950. Manual of the Grasses of the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D. C.--Technical keys and descriptions of all of the known grasses in the U.S. The book includes line drawings of each genus.
Hitchcock, C. L. and A. Cronquist, 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. Univ. of Washington Press, Seattle.--This is the most recent taxonomic treatment of the flora of the Pacific Northwest. It include technical keys to the plants and numerous, helpful illustrations.
Niehaus, T. F. and C. L. Ripper, 1976. A Field Guide to the Pacific States Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.--This 'Peterson Field Guide' has detailed line drawings that can be used to identify plants of the Pacific coast states. The emphasis of the book is primarily on plants of the coasts and mountains of the Cascades, Sierra Nevada and coastal ranges.
Patterson, P. A., K. E. Neiman, and J. R. Tonn, 1985. Field Guide to Forest Plants of Northern Idaho. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-180.-- This publication is available in some USDA Forest Service offices in northern Idaho. It includes line drawings of common trees, shrubs, and herbs from the forests of northern Idaho. Basic information on plant characteristics, flowering time, and habitat are provided.
Piper, C. V. and R. K. Beattie, 1901. The Flora of the Palouse Region.--This is one of the earliest floras prepared for any part of the Pacific Northwest and was writtern by two of the first botanists at Washington State University. The book may be largely of historical interest because the scientific names are not up-to-date and many more plants than are listed are known to be part of today's flora of the Palouse. It provides good descriptions of the plants.
St. John, H. 1956. Flora of Southeastern Washington and of Adjacent Idaho. Students' Book Corporation, Pullman.--A set of technical keys and descriptions of plants by a botanist who worked at Washington State University from 1920 to 1929. The book may be largely of historical interest because the scientific names are not up-to-date and the circumscriptions for the kinds of plants that St. John recognized differ from that often used today. The book has a good introduction that includes brief summaries of the physiography, climate, life zones, and flora of the area.
Strickler, D. 1993. Wayside Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest. The Flower Press, Columbia Falls, Montana.-- Excellent photographs of selected flowers of the Pacific Northwest. Each is accompanied by a brief description of the plant.
Taylor, R. J. 1990. Northwest Weeds. Mountain Press Pub. Co., Missoula.-- Excellent photographs of many weeds of the Pacific Northwest along with a paragraph of information on each. This is the most recent, general book that includes information on the weeds of the Palouse region.
Taylor, R. J. and G. W. Douglas, 1995. Mountain Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Mountain Press Pub. Co., Missoula.--Another of Taylor's field guides that has exceptional photographs and information on plants of the Pacific Northwest. Descriptions of diagnostic features of the plants and information on their habitats is included. Some of the forest and ridge plants of Kamiak Butte can be found in this book.
Whitney, S. 1989. A Sierra Club naturalist's guide: the Pacific Northwest. Sierra Club Books, San Francisco.--The Sierra Club naturalist's guides provide basic information on topics such as biology, geology, and climatology of various regions. Each is very well written and organized. They are delightful to read for those who are interested in understanding better the natural world. The Pacific Northwest volume include information on plant biology and communities in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.