Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Streambanks and moist or swampy meadows, middle elevations in the mountains to alpine slopes.
Flowers: May-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Perennial from a short rhizome with 1 to several erect flowering stems 10-30 inches tall.
Mostly basal, with long petioles, the blade elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, up to 1.5 dm. long, with brownish stipules 3-6 cm. long, not lacerate; the few small stem leaves sessile and somewhat cordate at the base.
In spike-like terminal racemes, many-flowered, 2-4 cm. long and 1.5-2 cm. wide; perianth 4-5 mm. long, divided most of its length into 5 oblong, equal, white to pink segments; stamens 8, on long filaments.
Achene with three sharp angles, yellowish-brown, smooth and shining, about 4 mm. long.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Bistorta bistortoides in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Bistorta bistortoides checklist entry
OregonFlora: Bistorta bistortoides information
E-Flora BC: Bistorta bistortoides atlas page
CalPhotos: Bistorta bistortoides photos