Rainiera stricta

Tongue-leaf Rainiera

Tongue-leaf Rainiera
aka Luina stricta. First collected on Mount Rainier in 1889 by E. L. Greene. Obviously unique (but not endemic) to Rainier the stricta grows to over 3′ (100 cm). Bright orange flowers cluster on top in a dense raceme 4″ – 12″ long. Each flowerheads is about 3/8″ broad and like the Silverback Luina is made up of entirely disk flowers (no rays). Leafs are, well, tongue-shaped, and reach over 1′ long. Listed as “watch” in the endangered and threatened list. Usually found on the north and east sides of the Park above 5,000′ elevation. (note: collected by C. V. Piper in August of 1895 near the Cowlitz Glacier, the southeast area of the Park)

Family:

Asteraceae - SUNFLOWER FAMILY, ASTER FAMILY (Compositae)

Genus:

Rainiera for Mount Rainier

Species:

stricta means 'constricted' or 'slender'
Photo location: Sourdough Ridge Trail west of Sunrise.