A crowning achievement

Rhodiola integrifolia, June 30, 2020

Common & scientific name
King’s crown, Rhodiola integrifolia

Family
Stonecrop, Crassulaceae

Location
Above the Lost Man Campground, 11,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Who doesn’t love the succulent, uniquely-colored high mountain wildflower?  Rhodiola integrifolia’s flat-topped flower clusters have dozens of wine-colored to almost black flower heads packed tightly together.  King’s crown plants sprout from rhizomes, forming dense colonies, making them hard to miss and easy to enjoy!

Field of King’s crown on Blue Peak, July 8, 2020

Here, kitty, kitty

Antennaria rosea, June 30, 2020

Common & scientific name
Rosy pussytoes, Antennaria rosea

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Weller campground, 9,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Called “pussytoes” because of their tightly packed flower head’s resemblance to the underside of a cat’s paw, Rosy pussytoes is our loveliest species owing to its bright rosy heads.  Each colony of pussytoes is a clone with all the plants connected to one another by underground rhizomes, and their evergreen leaf mats cover the ground throughout the four seasons.

Fuzzy, was he?

Castilleja occidentalis, July 8, 2020

C. occidentalis, July 15, 2020

Common & scientific name
Western Indian paintbrush, Castilleja occidentalis

Family
Broomrape, Orobanchaceae

Location
Green Mountain summit, 12,800’ & upper Lost Man 12,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
What a wonderful alpine fuzzball this is!  Especially when it hybridizes with other paintbrushes like the magenta C. rhexifolia to create tie-dyed, striped wonders.  

While there is much discussion among botanists about the proper classification of paintbrushes, including the genetic difference (if any) between C. occidentalis and the similarly yellowish-white C. sulphurea (also called C. septentrionalis), the two are readily distinguishable in the field by their elevation (C. occidentalis is an alpine plant, C. sulphurea is found lower), their size (C. occidentalis is shorter), and their fuzziness factor (C. occidentalis wins!)

Castilleja hybrid, July 17, 2020

These red berries won't kill you

Ribes montigenum, June 30, 2020

R. montigenum in fruit, August 27, 2020

Common & scientific name
Mountain gooseberry, Ribes montigenum

Family
Gooseberry, Grossulariaceae

Location
Lower Green Mountain, 10,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
One of our half-dozen species of gooseberry, producing arguably the tastiest of the group in late summer, Mountain gooseberry’s branches are covered in short prickles along with whorls of thicker, longer spines at the leaf nodes—so pick your berries carefully!  It can be distinguished from other gooseberries by its leaves, which are divided almost to the base into three coarsely toothed lobes, and are covered in sticky, glandular hairs. Its berries are bright red and covered in short, tasteless, and totally unharmful hairs.  Enjoy the bounty!

A (non) ray of sunshine

Arnica parryi, June 30, 2020

Common & scientific name
Parry’s arnica, Arnica parryi

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Lost Man Campground area, 10,400’ & upper Lost Man trail, 12,000

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Rayless and nodding, Parry’s arnica is easy to tell apart from our other arnicas, all of which have opposite and (mostly) fuzzy leaves.  It was named after the eminent, mid-19th century botanist Charles Parry, for whom many of Colorado’s wildflowers are named. 

A. parryi, July 15, 2020

Showiest in show

Oxytropis splendens, June 28, 2020

O. splendens, June 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
Showy locoweed, Oxytropis splendens

Family
Pea, Fabaceae

Location
Twin Lakes, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Showy, indeed!  Covered in long, white hairs, the plant takes on a  silvery appearance, which contrasts with its numerous, richly colored flowers, ranging from dark purple to lavender, that sit atop tall, leafless stems that grow in large clusters.  

When I first encountered this flower, I thought it might be a cultivated Oxytrope that had escaped or been planted back in the Hotel Interlaken days, as I had NEVER seen a wildflower in our area quite as large and dramatic as this.  Alas, it IS a native, one you won’t see on the west side of the Pass, and worth a trip all by itself to the south side of Twin Lakes. 

PARASITE

Orobanche fasciculata, June 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
Clustered broomrape, Orobanche fasciculata

Family
Broomrape, Orobanchaceae

Location
Twin Lakes, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This strange and fascinating flower has no chlorophyll and is parasitic on species of Artemisia (sage) and other members of the aster family.  Although not uncommon in Colorado, it is rarely seen on the Pass—the Interlaken area of Twin Lakes is a dependable location. 

The runt of the (lovely) litter

Penstemon procerus, June 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
Small-flowered penstemon, Penstemon procerus

Family
Plantain, Plantiganaceae

Location
Twin Lakes, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Its name says it all: Penstemon procerus can be distinguished from all other penstemons in our area by its 1/2” long, tightly-packed, blue/purple/magenta flowers.  It grows on both sides of the Pass in a variety of habitats, especially the subalpine, but is not as common as many of our other penstemon species. 

P. procerus, summit, July 14, 2020

Mind the sheep

Oxytropis sericea, June 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
White locoweed, Oxytropis sericea

Family
Pea, Fabaceae

Location
Twin Lakes, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Locoweed gets its name from the numerous problems it has caused in domestic livestock.  Locoweeds contain an alkaloid that disrupts cellular function in these animals.  According to Montana Plant Life, “locoism causes depression, incoordination, and nervousness under stress. Death can result. The cellular problems occur most readily in tissues of the nervous system. Pregnant animals often abort or give birth to young with congenital deformities. Congestive right heart disease occurs at high altitudes.”

Help found!

Hymenoxis richardsonii, June 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
Richardson’s bitterweed, Hymenoxis richardsonii

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Twin Lakes, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This plant, new to me and only found on the lower east side of the Pass near Twin Lakes, was previously misidentified as a Senecio, based on a superficial resemblance (yellow flowers, pretty much). Upon closer examination of its “petals” (ray florets), I noticed they have three teeth, or lobes, just like Old Man of the Mountain. Once the genus was identified, getting to the species was easy. With as many genera of Aster as we have, that is the tricky part, and a reminder that ALL parts of the plant must be closely observed to make a positive ID.

East sider only

Geranium caespitosum, June 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
Purple geranium, Geranium caespitosum

Family
Geranium, Geraniaceae

Location
Twin Lakes, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This species of geranium I have only seen on the east side of the Pass.  It sprawls closer to the ground than our other two, more common species (G. richardsonii and G. viscossissimum), and the lobes of its leaves are more rounded.  Please let me know if you’ve seen this on the west side!

Proud to be called a shrub

Dasiphora fruticosa, June 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
Shrubby cinquefoil, Dasiphora fruticosa

Family
Rose, Rosaceae

Location
Twin Lakes, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This plant has gone through more than a half-dozen name changes since Carl Linnaeus first stamped the binomial system onto it in the mid-1700s, beginning with “Potentilla fruticosa.”  Its flowers are very potentilla (or cinquefoil)-like, but not its essential shrub nature (a “shrub” being defined as a woody plant which is smaller than a tree and has persistent woody stems above the ground, unlike herbaceous plants).  It can be seen almost everywhere on the Pass.

See me!

Primula angustifolia, June 27, 2020

Common & scientific name
Alpine primrose, Primula angustifolia

Family
Primrose, Primulaceae

Location
North Fork Lake Creek & Fryingpan Lakes saddle, 12,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Found only in Colorado and norther New Mexico, this diminutive version of its much taller cousin, the water-loving Parry’s primrose, is found on dry subalpine and alpine ridges, often in the protection of rocks.  Its neon-magenta flowers, largely identical to those of Parry’s, light up the tundra under our feet.

Purple jewel of the alpine

Besseya alpina, June 27, 2020

Common & scientific name
Alpine besseya, Besseya alpina

Family
Snapdragon, Scrophularaceae

Location
North Fork Lake Creek & Fryingpan Lakes saddle, 12,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This gem of an alpine flower is found only in the high mountains of the Four Corners states, and most abundantly in Colorado. A swift glance might mistake it for Silky phacelia, Phacelia sericea, but its leaves are dark green and thick, not feathery, and it lacks the gold-tipped anthers of Silky phacelia.  Standing just several inches tall, often nestled within rock gardens, Alpine besseya is always a worthy find!

The abundance

Mertensia ciliata, June 27, 2020

Common & scientific name
Mountain bluebells, Mertenisa lanceolata

Family
Borage, Boraginaceae

Location
North Fork Lake Creek, 10,900’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Mountain bluebells grace wet areas with their delicate pink-to-blue flowers, bluish-green leaves, and sheer abundance.  Standing several feet high, they are often found in the company of subalpine larkspur and monkshood. 

Another daisy for your delight

Erigeron pinnatisectus, June 27, 2020

Common & scientific name
Cutleaf daisy, Erigeron pinnatisectus

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Fryingpan Lakes & North Fork Lake Creek saddle, 12,300’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Its finely-cut leaves and large, light-purple heads distinguish Erigeron pinnatisectus from other subalpine and alpine daisies.  It is common on our rocky tundra. 

I am NOT a parasite

Pedicularis parryi, June 27, 2020

Common & scientific name
Parry’s lousewort, Pedicularis parryi

Family
Broomrape, Orobanchaceae

Location
Fryingpan Lakes & North Fork Lake Creek saddle, 12,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
With characteristic beaked flowers and fern-like leaves, this highest growing and smallest of the fascinating Pedicularis genus whorls around on itself in delightful fashion.  It is hemiparasitic (hence its move from the Snapdragon family into the Broomrape family), meaning it produces chlorophyll and thus can survive on its own, but obtains additional nutrients from the roots of other plants.

Things are looking rosy

Castilleja rhexifolia, June 27, 2020

Common & scientific name
Rosy paintbrush, Castilleja rhexifolia

Family
Broomrape, Orobanchaceae

Location
North Fork Lake Creek, 12,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Whether “rosy” or bright magenta or soft lavender or striped with white or some combination of all of the above, Rosy paintbrush is by all accords one of our most stunning flowers.  Hybridization with other species, like the whitish-yellow C. occidentalis, is thought to be responsible for the variation. As with all members of the Castilleja genus, the colorful parts are actually modified leaves, or “bracts.”  Its flowers are small, tubular, greenish-yellow, and barely visible within its colorful bracts. Enjoy this summertime treat!

C. rhexifolia, June 27, 2020

Most delicate draba

Draba crassifolia, June 26, 2020

Common & scientific name
Snowed draba, Draba crassifolia

Family
Mustard, Brassicaceae

Location
Graham Gulch, 10,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This tiniest of mustards is short-lived but abundant in our alpine and subalpine zones.  It stands a couple of inches tall, on the slenderest of leafless stalks, above a rosette of linear leaves, often in the protection of rocks or other plants.  Unlike many other Drabas, it is unmistakeable!

D. crassifolia, June 26, 2020

Eat your peas!

Astragalus alpinus, June 26, 2020

Common & scientific name
Alpine milkvetch, Astragalus alpinus

Family
Pea, Fabaceae

Location
Graham Gulch, 10,800’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This circumpolar, pioneer plant may be the most widely distributed and common Astragalus in the world.  While it is rarely found above treeline in our area, despite its name, and is more common on the east side of the Pass than the west, it is always a delight to find, usually in subalpine woods or meadows, with its dainty purple-and-white flowers set among its sprawling ladder-like leaves. It is also enjoyed by caribou, arctic hares, and greater snow geese (as food, that is), and grizzly bears forage its underground parts.