Yellow Fireweed

Appearance

General: Herbaceous perennial from widespread rhizomes, the stems simple, erect, 2-7 dm. tall; pubescent in lines down the stems.
Leaves: Leaves mostly opposite, sub-sessile, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3-8 cm. long, glandular-serrulate to glandular-dentate, glabrous.
Flowers: Flowers 2-10, axillary in the reduced upper leaves; pedicels 5-30 mm. long; calyx tube cup-shaped, 1-2 mm. long, the 4 lobes linear-lanceolate, 8-13 mm. long; petals 4, yellow, shallowly obcordate, 14-18 mm. long; stamens 8; style much longer than the petals; stigma lobes 4, oblong-ovate, 2 mm. long; ovary inferior, 4-celled.
Fruits: Capsule linear, 4-8 cm. long; seeds with a tuft of rust-colored hairs at the tip.

Distribution

In the Olympics and Cascades in Washington; Alaska south to California.

Habitat

Stream banks and wet areas at mid- to high elevations in the mountains.