[The Genus Montia East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia

Montia linearis

Synonym: Claytonia linearis

Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia: Montia linearis (Synonym: Claytonia linearis) - Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia: Montia linearis (Synonym: Claytonia linearis)

Line-leaf montia as seen at left in Bond Creek several hundred meters south of Hot Springs Campground, Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge..........June 11, 2016. The photo at right shows linear-leaf montia on BLM lands along Box Canyon Road about one-half mile east of the gated trailhead at the end of the driveable road, north-central Klickitat County, WA......May 1, 2022.
Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia: Montia linearis (Synonym: Claytonia linearis) The photo at right shows line-leaf montia from Catherine Creek, Major Creek Plateau, Columbia River Gorge, Washington.....March 31, 1991.
Characteristics:

Line-leaf montia is a small annual with one to several simple to freely branched, erect stems from 5-20 cm high. The leaves are on the stems. They are alternate, linear, from 2-5 cm long and 0.5-1 mm wide.

The white flowers are 5 mm long in a one-sided raceme. The 5 petals are about equal in length to slightly longer than the 2 green sepals, which range from 3-4 mm in length. It may be confused with Montia dichotoma which has sepals to 2 mm in length and is only 2-8 cm tall.

Habitat:

Line-leaf montia is found on seasonally moist, open soils in the lowlands.

Range:

Line-leaf montia may be found from southern British California south on both sides of the Cascades to southern California and east to northern Montana and Utah.

Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia: Montia linearis (Synonym: Claytonia linearis) - Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia: Montia linearis (Synonym: Claytonia linearis)

Line-leaf montia as observed at left on scablands along Forest Road 4240 about a mile south of Lame Dog Creek, Ochoco National Forest.......April 26, 2018. The photo at right shows line-leaf montia in bloom in open ponderosa pine forest near the Little Spokane River, Spokane County, WA......May 7, 2019..

Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia: Montia linearis (Synonym: Claytonia linearis) - Line-leaf Montia, Lineleaf Indian Lettuce, Narrowleaf Miner's-lettuce, Narrowleaf Montia, Narrow-leaved Montia: Montia linearis (Synonym: Claytonia linearis)

Line-leaf montia at left from Catherine Creek, Columbia river Gorge..........April 2002. The photo at right shows line-leaf montia in a small creek at Brooks Memorial State Park off US 97, near Satus Pass.......May 11, 2020.
Paul Slichter