Misely studies ran
by Richard Marx
Staff Writer
The eastern shore of the Willamette River, as seen from the central Inlet of Rock Island
Bob Misley, A Clacka
mas instructor, is working with
the Native Plant Society of
Oregon and The Nature Con
servancy on a special project.
He is coordinating a study on
an unusual wildflower on the
Rock Islands in the Willam
ette River.
Misley, who teaches
botany and biology, is research
ing population growth and
decline of the pale larkspur,
known to botanists as Delphin
ium leucophaeum. The pale
larkspur is a delicate wildflower
that is of the same family as
columbines and peonies.
“It’s distribution is
mainly in the northern Wil
lamette Valley,” said Misley.
“However, it is limited in
habitat to a few rock outcrop
pings.
“Due to farming and
development, much of the
original habitat is now gone,"
Misley added. “There arc two
other regions where it grows
locally, these being the Camas-
sia Native Plant; Preserve in
West Linn and on the basaltic
outcrops in Lake Qswcgo.”
The aptly named Rock
Islands have a fairly abundant
population of this spec
was for this reason tl
Nature Conservancy ac
these islands from the
River Corporation ini
Even without tl
spur, the Rock Islands a
unique. Located abo
falls in Oregon City
two miles south of thei
ence of the Tualatin an
lamette Rivers), .this
contains plant species tl
different from the usual!
mas County vegetation
Viewing thei
from a boat or even thi
way, one is reminded
country around the Hocx
area or the landscape o[
western Oregon. These
arc made up of rock th
been etched and carve
ravines, cliffs, and odd
through cons of paste
by the Willamette.
According tol
“This is some of the
exposed rock in the (
mas County area, datin
to the Eocene epoch
million years ago.” At
shallow soil have devi
from years of accumulai
river silt. During thesu
there is full exposure I
ing sun and drought. I
An assistant locates a new colony of delphinium on a rock
outcropping.
For most of the year, the Rock Islands are only accessible by boat