Aspen vs. Showy

Erigeron speciosus,, June 18, 2020

Common & scientific name
Aspen fleabane/Showy fleabane , Erigeron speciosus

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Weller Curve, 9,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This red-stemmed, light lavender-to-purple daisy appears in large numbers throughout our area, usually in July but this year in June owing to the early snowmelt and warm June temps. It can be found in montane meadows, roadsides, and to a lesser extent aspen groves—despite its name.  According to a 1962 study at RMBL, Aspen fleabane was much more common (100% constancy and 5% average cover) in younger aspen woodlands with a Thurber’s fescue (grass) understory than in mature woodlands with a forb (wildflower)-dominated understory. In other words, it’s not the king of mature aspen groves. Maybe Showy fleabane’s a better fit!

"Unattractive?" Not!

Ranunculus inamoenus, June 18, 2020

Common & scientific name
Graceful buttercup, Ranunculus inamoenus

Family
Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location
Lower Lost Man, 10,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Wonderful that this flower’s common name, Graceful buttercup, has effectively, by popular vote, overruled its scientific name, which translates as “unattractive buttercup.”  With its shiny, sunny flowers and interesting leaves—basal leaves rounded, stem leaves deeply cut—it definitely deserves better!

Herald the fairies

Ipomopsis aggregata, June 18, 2020

Common & scientific name
Scarlet gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata

Family
Phlox, Polemoniaceae

Location
Below the winter gate, 8,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Scarlet gilia, also know as Fairy trumpet, is among our most flamboyant and unmistakeable wildflowers. Like Old Man of the Mountain, Green Gentian, and other of our well known wildflowers, these gleaming crimson trumpets are monocarpic—that is, they bloom once, after a half dozen or so years of storing up nutrients in their roots, then die.

Tobacco's waning appeal

Valerian edulis, June 23, 2020

Valerian acutiloba, June 18, 2020

Common & scientific name
Edible valerian & Sharpleaf valerian, Valeriana edulis & V. acutiloba

Family
Valerian, Valerianaceae

Location
Lower Lost Man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Valerian is famous in part for its roots, which when cooked are appealing in the way that tobacco is (it is also commonly known as “Tobacco root”): that is, very appealing to some, almost nauseating to others.   It’s really just as fun to look at.  The flowers of Edible valerian, found in sunny meadows primarily in our montane and subalpine zones, are white and need to be viewed up close to be appreciated (left), as they are usually obscured by its plant’s tall stature (below).  Sharpleaf valerian, on the other hand, is a smaller plant with soft-pink flowers that can be found into the alpine (left below). It is less common in our area than its cousin Edible. 

V. edulis, June 23, 2020

Skunks are beautiful!

Polemonium pulcherrimum, June 18, 2020

Common & scientific name
Jacob’s ladder, Polemonium pulcherrimum

Family
Phlox, Polemoniaceae

Location
Lower Lost Man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
“Pulcherrimum” means “very beautiful.”  Indeed.  These low-lying, soft-blue, light-purple flowers light up the brown understories of dry lodgepole and spruce/fir forests.  And like their alpine cousin, P. viscosum, Sky pilot, they emit a less-than-beautiful skunk-like odor in the wind.  Enjoy the paradox!

Unusual Jacob’s ladder growing amidst bluebells

Yet another LYF (little yellow flower)

Senecio wootonii, June 18, 2020

Common & scientific name
Wooton’s ragwort, Senecio wootonii

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Lower Lost Man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
As Senecios go, this one is relatively easy to identify, owing to its  smooth, hairless, almost blueish leaves.  It is often found in dry meadows or forests (like lodgepoles).  Give yourself a round of applause for learning (yet another) Senecio!

A world traveler

Silene acaulis, June 19, 2020

S. caulis, August 6, 2020

Common & scientific name
Moss campion, Silene acaulis

Family
Pink, Caryophyllaceae

Location
Linkins Lake, 12,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This perennial favorite of the high alpine occurs in almost all arctic and alpine habitats throughout the northern hemisphere.  It reaches as far south as Arizona and as far north in Greenland well above the arctic circle, within twenty-five miles of the most northern growing of any plant.  And according to extensive studies done on this alpine jewel in the 1950s in Rocky Mountain National Park, its roots go down as far as six feet—hard to believe in the (very) Rocky Mountains!

Narcissism fed

Anemone narcissiflora, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Narcissus anemone, Anemone narcissiflora

Family
Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location
Summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
A flower named Narcissus would have LOVED all the attention it gets from scientists!  From the authoritative E-Flora:  “The taxonomy of this highly variable, widespread species is extremely controversial. The conservative approach taken here most closely approximates S.L. Welsh's (1974) treatment for the Alaskan varieties. E. Hultén's discussion (1941-1950, vol. 4, pp. 735-736) of local races and the variation within this species, however, clearly illustrates the need for a thorough biosystematic investigation. Recognition of about 12 varieties is in light of S. V. Juzepczuk's (1970) work; however, he elevated local races to specific rank in his treatment.”  What a complex character, indeed!

What I KNOW is that Anemone narcissiflora is emerging early this year, and that it can be distinguished from habitat-sharing, similar-looking Globeflower by its hairy stem, and from Marsh marigold by its divided (rather than simple, smooth-edged) leaves.

A lesson in potentillas (and patience)

Potentilla pulcherrima, front side, June 16, 2020

P. pulcherrima, back side

Potentilla hippiana, frontside, June 16, 2020

P. hippiana, backside

P. gracilis, July 17, 2020

Common & scientific names
Cinquefoils, Potentilla sp., (1) pulcherrima, (2) hippiana, (3) nivea, (4) subjuga, (5) rubricaulis

Family
Rose, Rosaceae

Location

First two Difficult Trail, 8,000’, second three summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known facts

OK, now we’re getting into the nitty gritty.  Cinquefoils all have basically the same-looking flower (except P. arguta, which is white),  therefore everything depends on their leaves and their location/elevation, and I am lumping them here to aid comparison.

P. pulcherrima and hippiana are abundant throughout our area at lower elevations (never alpine).  As you’ll see in the photos, P. pulcherrima’s leaflets extend out from a single point, while P. hippiana’s have a distinct break between lower leaflets.  They are both fuzzy-white-hairy on the “back” and green on the “front.”

The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth Cinquefoils were all found above treeline, with P. nivea hugging the ground in a fuzzy-white hairy mat, with three leaflets per leaf; P. subjuga being taller and greener, with 3-5 upper leaflets extending out from one point with 1-2 pairs of leaflets lower down on the petiole (the leaf stem); P. rubricaulis having 5 leaflets, somewhat hairy on back, and red, sprawling stems; P. gracilis having 7 palmate leaflets, slightly hairier on the backside than the front but not dramatic like P. pulcherrima or hippiana; and P. diversifolia being bluish-green on both sides, with teeth only in the upper half of the leaflet.

And if this isn’t confusing enough, wait: there’s more to come!

Potentilla nivea, June 23, 2020

Potentilla subjuga, June 23, 2020

P. gracilis, backside, July 17, 2020

Potentilla rubricaulis, June 23, 2020

P. diversifolia, July 13, 2020, lower Lost Man

King of the Genera

Eriogonum umbellatum, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Sulphurflower buckwheat, Eriogonum umbellatum

Family
Buckwheat, Polygonaceae

Location
Difficult Trail, 8,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Widespread in habitat, elevation, and appearance, and according to Janis Huggins in Wild at Heart, its genus Eriogonum is “the largest genus endemic to North America, with more than 300 species, fifty of them occurring in the Rocky Mountains.”

Our best berry

Rubus parviflorus, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus

Family
Rose, Rosaceae

Location

Difficult Trail, 8,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Just as I finished denigrating the fruit of its cousin, Woods rose, as “mealy,” I am here to defend to the death the thimbleberry, often accused of same.  When the berry of this lovely shrub is discretely chosen—it should be bright red, plump, and soft—it is hands down, in this writer’s opinion anyway, our tastiest berry, a perfect blend of sweet and tart, and readily available trailside to boot!

Define “beauty”

Descurainia incisa, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Mountain tansymustard, Descurainia incisa

Family
Mustard, Brassicaceae

Location

Difficult Trail, 8,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Yes, it’s weedy looking, tall and stringy, but it’s native, it’s edible, and it’s part of the great floral melting pot!

Looks good, smells good, tastes . . . well . . .

Rosa woodsii, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Wood’s rose, Rosa woodsii

Family
Rose, Rosaceae

Location

Difficult Campground, 8,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

There are few flowers that cry for attention like Wood’s rose, between its swoony smell and showy flowers ranging in color from light pink to deep magenta.  Its fruits (“rose hips”) are known for their nutritional value and high vitamin c content, but I’ve generally found them to have a mealy texture and bland taste. I am grateful to the Southwest Colorado Wildflowers website for suggesting they are best eaten after several frosts!

Spicing up the alpine

Artemesia scopulorum, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Alpine sagewort, Artemesia scopulorum

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This sagebrush is the our most common above treeline, and is early this year!  Its tiny yellow flower heads are surrounded by hairy green and black-margined phyllaries (reduced leaves surrounding the flower head).  Crush a leave between your fingers to get the sage-like aroma, but don’t eat it: the spice you buy in the store is actually in the Mint family!

Mules ears lighting up the hillsides

Wyethia amplexicaulis, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Mules ears, Wyethia amplexicaulis

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Difficult Trail, 8,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Our local Mules ears are unusual in that their leaves have a rough-hairy texture, while most W. amplexicaulis plants are smooth and hair-free.  William Weber, the foremost authority on Colorado wildflowers, says ours is “a stable hybrid population stemming from a time when the Pleistocene climate compressed the range, bringing this species into close contact with W. arizonica.”

Bluebells abound

Mertensia lanceolata, June 23, 2020

Common & scientific name

Alpine bluebells, Mertensia lanceolata

Family
Borage, Boraginaceae

Location
Summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
These are not the bluebells of Scottish fame (those are harebells, in their own Bellflower family), but our Mertensias grace our slopes from the valley floor in spring (M. fusiformis) to the alpine (here) and at all elevations near water in their largest form (M. ciliata).

M. lanceolata, June 23, 2020

Lucky clovers

Trifolium dasyphyllum, June 16, 2020

Common & scientific name
Alpine clover, Trifolium dasyphyllum

Family
Pea, Fabiaceae

Location
Summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

One of our three throughly delightful alpine clovers, this early bloomer can be distinguished from its similarly shaped but later blooming cousin, T. parryi, by its lighter overall color (often white or light pink) and darker, contrasting (here magenta) keel, where T. parryi is a darker magenta or purple overall, without the boldly contrasting keel.

Good news: I smell a skunk!

Polemonium viscosum, June 30, 2020

Common & scientific name
Sky pilot, Polemonium viscosum

Family
Phlox, Polemoniaceae

Location
Green Mountain, 12,500’ & Geissler 3, 12,600

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

If you’ve ever been scrambling along a rocky alpine ridge and swore you smelled a skunk, you were (sort of) correct!  Polemonium viscosum, a common but striking tundra flower, sometimes goes by the name “Skunkweed,” owing to the strong odor it sometimes puts out.  Like its faunal namesake, however, it is a beauty to behold, no matter the smell.  So hold your nose and thank your lucky stars for being where you are: in the magnificent alpine among the magnificent Sky pilot!

P. viscosum, July 30, 2020

Bedding down for the summer

Paronychia pulvinata, June 11, 2020

P. pulvinata, June 11, 2020

Common & scientific name
Alpine nailwort, Paronychia pulvinata

Family
Pink, Caryophyllaceae

Location
Summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Inconspicuous yellow-green flowers embedded in tight, sometimes large mats, often growing directly on the crumbling granite of our high peaks.  This low-lying, wonderfully subtle flower knows how to make the best of things amidst the hard, desiccating winds of the high alpine!

If this were your last summer in the mountains . . .

Hymenoxis grandiflora, June 23, 2020

Common & scientific name
Old-Man-of-the-Mountain, Hymenoxis grandiflora

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Summit, 12,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This common alpine resident stands out with its comparatively huge flower head and its wooly-hairy stem and leaves.  According to Dr. David Inouye, who for 4+ decades has studied alpine plants and their pollinators at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, just over the Elk Range in Gothic, H. grandiflora grows for 12-15 years without flowering, flowers once, and then dies.  So treat every Old-Man-of-the-Mountain you see with reverence, and imagine (if you can) your own last summer . . . .

H. grandiflora, June 30, 2020