Yes, I admit it. I'm a plant geek! :)

The plants are organized alphabetically by common name. I am hoping to add more photos soon.

Latin name: Dicentra formosa

Family: Fumariaceae (Fumitory)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist
Identifying characteristics: pink heart-shaped flowers in spring, ferny floliage                               

Ethnobotanical significance: indicates rich soils

Latin name: Pteridium aquilinum

Family: Polypodiaceae (Polypody or Common Fern)
Elevation gradient: low to subalpine

Moisture gradient: xeric to wet
Identifying characteristics: triangular leaves, three times divided (tripinnate), deep rhizomes, decidious. Often found in acidic or disturbed soils in open areas.                                        

Ethnobotanical significance: used by Native Americans in pit ovens. Edible (but questionable) rhizomes

Latin name:  Cornus canadensis

Family: Cornaceae (Dogwood)
Elevation gradient: low to subalpine

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist
Identifying characteristics: leaves in whorls of four, white 4-petaled 'flowers', often on trees or stumps

Ethnobotanical significance: attractive ground cover

Latin name: Blechnum spicant

Family: Polypodiaceae (Polypody or Common Fern)
Elevation gradient: low to upper middle

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist to wet
Identifying characteristics: dimorphic fronds (two forms), evergreen                              

Ethnobotanical significance: important browse for deer and elk

Latin name: Oplopanax horridum

Family: Araliaceae (Ginsing)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: Mesic/moist to wet
Identifying characteristics: entire plant is spiny all over, huge maple-like leaves, decidious, bright red berries in pyramidal clusters in late summer                             

Ethnobotanical significance: Healing plant with properties similar to ginsing

Latin name: Maianthemum dilatatum

Family: Liliaceae (Lily)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist to wet common ground cover in shady areas
Identifying characteristics: heart-shaped leaves, flower parts in 4's,                  

Ethnobotanical significance: edible (debated) berries

Latin name: Oemlaria cerasiformis

Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Elevation gradient: low

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist in open areas
Identifying characteristics: flowers in early spring, very tender leaves that smell like cucumber when crushed                               

Ethnobotanical significance: Edible berries. cerasiformis means "bearing cherry-like fruits"

Latin name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Family: Ericaceae (Heather)
Elevation gradient: low to subalpine

Moisture gradient: xeric to moist well-drained sites
Identifying characteristics: urn-shaped flowers, trailing/mat-forming evergreen, leathery leaves red berries                                               

Ethnobotanical significance: edible berries, leaves were mixed with tobacco and smoked

Latin name: Athyrium filix-femina

Family: Polypodiaceae (Polypody or Common Fern)
Elevation gradient: low to high

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist to wet
Identifying characteristics: fronds are diamond/oval in silouette, decidious                                          

Ethnobotanical significance: edible fiddleheads in spring

Latin name: Adiantum pedatum

Family: Polypodiaceae (Sword Fern)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: wet to very wet
Identifying characteristics: decidious, black shiny stems and bright green leaves. Foliage sheds rain  

Ethnobotanical significance: stems have been used in basketry

Latin name: Holodiscus discolor

Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist
Identifying characteristics: lots of soft white, lilac-like flowers in late spring/early summer, leaves are lighter in color on reverse, last year's dried flowers often stay on the plant (see center photo)                                              

Ethnobotanical significance: very strong wood, oceanspray pegs have been used in construction

Latin name:  Berberis (Mahonia) nervosa

Family: Berberidaceae (Barberry)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist common in 2nd growth Douglas-fir forests
Identifying characteristics: low-growing, evergreen, leaves look like holly (not as sharp) bright yellow flowers in spring                                                

Ethnobotanical significance: edible berries and flowers, shredded bark can be used to make a yellow dye

Latin name: Taxus brevifolia

Family: Taxaceae (Yew)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist mostly in mature forests
Identifying characteristics: leaves end in an abrupt point, bright red fleshy 'berry' (aril),                                                 

Ethnobotanical significance: The wood is excellent for bows, which is where its latin name is derived from. the anti-cancer drug, taxol is derived from yew. Important winter browse for moose (not in the Cascades).

Latin name:  Sambucus racemosa

Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle)
Elevation gradient: low to mid 

Moisture gradient: mesic to wet
Identifying characteristics: shrubby, white flowers in a conical infloresence, red berries                                       

Ethnobotanical significance: leaves were used on bee stings. bark used to make a black dye

Latin name: Ribes sanguineum

Family: Grossulariaceae (Currant or Gooseberry)
Elevation gradient: Low to mid 

Moisture gradient: Dry to mesic/moist (dry and open, often on disturbed sites)
Identifying characteristics: decidious, 5-lobed leaves, bright pink pendulant clusters of flowers in eary spring                                         

Ethnobotanical significance: The genus Ribes is the alternate host for white pine blister rust. Edible berries, flowers attract hummingbirds

Latin name: Vaccinium parvifolium

Family: Ericaceae (Heather)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist to wet usually on burried wood
Identifying characteristics: strongly angled green stems, decidious, bright red berries                                               

Ethnobotanical significance: edible berries

Latin name: Gaultheria shallon

Family: Ericaceae (Heather)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist
Identifying characteristics: evergreen, leathery leaves, urn-shaped flowers in spring, dark purple 'berries'                                                

Ethnobotanical significance: edible berries. David Douglas brought this plant to Britain in the 1800's for use as a garden ornamental.

Latin name: Rubus spectabilis

Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Elevation gradient: low to high

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist to wet, often in disturbed areas
Identifying characteristics: bright pink flowers in early spring, berries in late spring,                                                 

Ethnobotanical significance: edible berries, wildlife habitat

Latin name: Lysichiton americanum

Family: Aramaceae (Arum)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: wet, wetland obligate
Identifying characteristics: large, basal eliptical leaves, flowers are yellow with a stalk and a hood (see photo) and appear before the leaves in early spring, entire plant has a 'skunky' scent, especially when crushed                                                

Ethnobotanical significance: "indian waxed paper" and used as a famine food in early spring and only after cooking the plant

Latin name: Urtica dioica

Family: Urticaceae (Nettle)
Elevation gradient: low to subalpine

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist to wet, often in open, disturbed areas
Identifying characteristics: opposite leaves, flowers in dense pendulous clusters, tends to be weedy, leaves covered in short hairs

Ethnobotanical significance: edible after cooking or drying, stems used for making fishing nets, cordage

Latin name: Polystichum munitum

Family: Polypodiaceae (Polypody or Common Fern)

Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist
Identifying characteristics: evergreen, distinct leaflet shape (like a sword),

Ethnobotanical significance: used by native americans for bedding flooring and lining pit ovens

Latin name: Rubus parviflorus

Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: xeric to mesic/moist, open areas
Identifying characteristics: big, soft 3-7 lobed maple-like leaves, big white flowers, raspberry-like berries

Ethnobotanical significance: edible berries, leaves can be used as 'backpacker's tp

Latin name: Trillium ovatum

Family: Lilaceae (Lily)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: dry to wet
Identifying characteristics: white flower in early spring, all parts of the plant are in 3's                                           

Ethnobotanical significance: seeds are attractive to ants, which aid in the plant's dispersal

Latin name: Linnaea borealis

Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle)
Elevation gradient: low to timberline

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist
Identifying characteristics: opposite leaves, two pale pink, fragrant, bell-shaped flowers on a v'd stalk, low trailing plant

Ethnobotanical significance: Named for Carl Linnaeus

Latin name: Achlys triphylla

Family: Berberidaceae (Barberry)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: dry to mesic/moist, in shady areas
Identifying characteristics: decidious, light green leaves that look like moose antlers       

Ethnobotanical significance: leaves have a vanilla scent when dried and may act as an insect repellant

Latin name:  Acer circinatum

Family: Aceraceae (Maple)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: mesic/moist to wet
Identifying characteristics: opposite leaves, 7-9 lobed, brilliant red in fall, winged fruits are horizontal (not a V)

Ethnobotanical significance: fall color, snowshoe frames

Latin name:  Asarum caudatum

Family: Aristolochiaceae (Birthwort)
Elevation gradient: low to middle

Moisture gradient: mesix/moist to wet, shady areas
Identifying characteristics: heart shaped leaves, 2 at each node, bell shapped flowers with three lobes that taper to points (often hidden by leaves), whole plant smells like lemon-ginger when crushed          

Ethnobotanical significance: rhizomes can be used as a ginger substitute (not related to commercial ginger)

Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast (Pojar and Mackinnon)

Flora of the Pacific Northwest (Hitchcock)

The Names of Plants (Gledhill)

Botany 455 notes

Field Guide to Wildflowers (Audubon)

Wildflowers of the Olympics and Cascades (Stewart)