A long-limbed star

Stellaria longipes, July 15, 2020

Common & scientific name
Long-stalked starwort,  Stellaria longipes

Family
Pink, Capryophyllaceae

Location
Upper Lost Man, 11,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This oh-so-delicate wildflower, standing just a few inches tall on a hairless, slender stalk with widely-spaced, opposite, grass-like leaves, can be found throughout the subalpine and alpine but seems to favor rocky outcrops or meadows streamside.  “Stellaria” means “star” and “longipes” means long-limbed.  At last, an aptly named flower!

S. longipes, July 15, 2020

One of three blueberries

Vaccinium cespitosum, July 15, 2020

Common & scientific name
Dwarf bilberry,  Vaccinium cespitosum

Family
Heath, Ericaceae

Location
Upper Lost Man, 11,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Leaves widest above the middle, distinguishing it from its (sometimes) neighbor Vaccinium scoparium or V. myrtillus, but likes its neighbors, producing sweet little blueberries come August!

Big, fuzzy arnica

Arnica mollis, July 15, 2020

Common & scientific name
Hairy arnica,  Arnica mollis

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Upper Lost Man, 11,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
As its name suggests, this arnica is fuzzy on its stems and leaves, grows taller than our other high-elevation arnicas, A. cordifolia, A. latifolia, or A. rydbergii,  and usually has three flower heads growing at the top.  It emerges as the common A. cordifolia, Heart-leaved arnica, is receding. 

So you don't get bogged down

Saxifraga oregano, July 15, 2020

Common & scientific name
Bog saxifrage,  Saxifraga oregana

Family
Saxifrage, Saxifragaceae

Location
Upper Lost Man, 11,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Distinguishable from Snowball saxifrage by blooming later, being taller, having multi-flowered stems (not just one ball of flowers at the top), always growing in wet places, AND erupting in huge numbers right now in the subalpine & alpine wherever water is found!

Fuzzy wuzzy

Agoseris glauca var. dasycephala, July 15, 2020

Common & scientific name
Pale agoseris,  Agoseris glauca var. dasycephala

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Upper Lost Man, 11,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Much taller than A. glauca, much fuzzier, much bigger head, and found only in the high subalpine or alpine.  I love this big fuzz head!

Serious Science vs. Mickey Mouse

Cerastium arvense ssp. strictum, July 14, 2020

Common & scientific name
Field chickweed, Cerastium arvense ssp. strictum

Family
Pink, Caryophyllaceae

Location
Summit, 12,100

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
The foremost authority on Colorado flora, William Weber, believes this flower is classified erroneously not only species-wise, but family-wise: “This family [which he identifies as Alsinaceae] is usually placed as a subfamily of Caryophyllaceae, but it differs obviously in having its flowers constructed differently, with separate instead of united sepals, and petals without narrow basal claws.”

Obviously. 

Furthermore: “C. arvense is a northern European tetraploid [having four sets of similarly structured chromosomes] occurring in America at low altitudes only as a weed.  Our plants are diploid [two sets] and are related to, if not identical to, the diploid C. strictum of the high mountains of Eurasia.”

This plant is also called Mouse-ear chickweed.  As in Mickey.

All joking aside, I am forever indebted to Dr. Weber for his meticulous work and complete devotion to Colorado’s flora, without which all Colorado wildflower lovers would be wildly impoverished.

Lady of the evening

Oenothera villosa, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Hairy evening primrose, Oenothera villosa

Family
Evening primrose, Onograceae

Location
Weller Curve, 9,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This tall, striking primrose, often showing its yellow petals wilted during the day as orange, has a red, hairy stem and hairy leaves.  It can be seen roadside from the bottom of the Pass to about 9,700’ in elevation.  One of the only other families of flowers to have four petals (like the mustards), its flowers open in the evening to invite long-tongued moths in. 

O. villosa, July 28, 2020

A cut above

Senecio eremophilus, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Cutleaf groundsel, Senecio eremophilus

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Weller Curve, 9,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Owing to its tall size, much-branched and leafy appearance, and deeply cut leaves, this Senecio is easy to tell apart from its many cousins.  It is rarely seen on the Pass, most commonly roadside. 

Thistle love

Cirsium eatonii, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Eaton’s thistle, Cirsium eatonii

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Lower Lost Man trail, 10,600 & Upper Lost Man trail, 11,500

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
As I’ve said before, not all thistles are “bad”—i.e., non-native  invasives—and indeed with a little time and attention paid can take on a certain charm (in addition to being pollinator favorites).  This thistle is common (but not TOO common) on the Pass, from the montane to the alpine in meadows and forest openings.  It has white, pink, or purple flowers protruding up from its cobwebby head.  Its stem is often dark red (below) and its leaves are spiny.  It has learned well how to protect itself!

C. eatonii, July 15, 2020

I ain't no lawn lover

Agoseris aurantiaca, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Orange agoseris, Agoseris aurantiaca

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Lower Lost Man trail, 10,600

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
There aren’t many true orange flowers in the wild, which may be the reason why this otherwise very dandelion-like flower grabs ones attention.  Like dandelions, Orange agoseris is composed exclusively of ray flowers, and produces a similar seed head.  Unlike dandelions, though, you will not see it lining the roadside or invading your lawn.  It modestly limits itself, in sparing numbers, to dry meadows from the montane to the alpine on the Pass. 

The crazy-making daisy

Leucanthemum vulgare, July 13, 2020

L. vulgare, July 28, 2020

Common & scientific name
Oxeye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Roadside everywhere up to 11,800’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
YES, they’re pretty, YES, they’re cheery, YES, you may stop, look, and enjoy them.  Then do your part for our native wildflowers and pull them!  Oxeyes are a highly invasive perennial that LOVE disturbed places like roadsides—even a fresh layer of asphalt won’t dissuade them!  A single plant can produce up to 200 seeds per flowering head, sitting atop up to 40 flowering stems per plant—that leads to a ginormous seed bank.   Leucanthemum vulgare is native to Europe and was introduced into the United States as an ornamental in the 1800s. In 2020, it is the bane of Independence Pass.  

NOTE: please make sure you are pulling oxeyes and not one of our many native daisies.  The involucre (underneath the flower head, shown left) is diagnostic, as are the slender, lobed leaves (photo coming) and white ray florets (petals).

L. vulgare at 12,085 feet!

Go ahead, be crass

Senecio crassulus, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Thickleaf ragwort, Senecio crassulus

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Lower Lost Man trail, 10,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This hairless Senecio has thick leaves (“crass” means “thick” in Latin) with sharp teeth and a bulging involucre below the ray flowers.  Its phyllaries are black-tipped.  This is a common Senecio of subalpine & alpine meadows on the Pass.

Licorice-like

Osmorhiza depauperata, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Sweet cicely, Osmorhiza depauperata

Family
Parsley, Apiaceae

Location
Weller Lake trail, 9,700’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Shown here after it’s gone to seed, its pods are probably as visible as the tiny greenish-white flowers that proceed them.  Its roots and seeds are edible, tasting of anise, or licorice.  Massage a leaf in your hand to get the idea!

Fireweed freak-out

Chamerion angustifolium, July 13, 2020

C. angustifolium going to seed, August 24, 2020

Common & scientific name
Fireweed, Chamerion angustifolium

Family
Evening primrose, Onograceae

Location
Weller, 9,500’ & Linkins Lake, 12,000

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
When fireweed emerges roadside on the Pass, I know the summer wildflower season has officially entered its second half.  As a result, lovely as it is, it brings on a mild panic attack. 

Fireweed is an important colonizer following vegetation disturbances (like fire or avalanche or road-building) in temperate climates all over the world.  Fireweed enters a disturbed community and rapidly becomes abundant.  It may achieve a peak in dominance within 2 to 3 years, but then declines if it does not receive enough sunlight or gets crowded out by other species. 

C. angustifolium, July 13, 2020

C. angustifolium leaves, August 24, 2020

Heath vs. Wintergreen redux

Pyrola chlorantha, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Green-flowered wintergreen, Pyrola chlorantha

Family
Wintergreen/Heath, Pyrolaceae/Ericaceae

Location
Weller Lake trail, 9,700’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
See Orthilia secunda, One-sided wintergreen, re family uncertainty.  This wintergreen can be distinguished from other wintergreens, that it frequently grows near, by its greenish/yellow flowers, red stem, and curved style (the protrusion coming from its flower).  

Wormskjold, indeed

Veronica wormskjoldii, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Alpine speedwell, Veronica wormskjoldii

Family
Plantain, Plantaginaceae

Location
Lower Lost Man trail, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Common, variably-sized, delightful subalpine and alpine plant that frequently grows trailside near streams or wetlands.  Named after Danish botanist, Morton Wormskjold.  Hopefully he didn’t discover too many other plants.

Family feud

Orthilia secunda, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
One-sided wintergreen, Orthilia secunda

Family
Wintergreen/Heath, Pyrolaceae/Ericaceae

Location
Weller Lake trail, 9,700’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
The above two-family nomenclature reflects the current state of disagreement among botanists as to where this diminutive, dark- woods flower belongs.  It is probably the Pass’s most common wintergreen, er, heath . . . . 

Berry uncertain

Lonicera involucrata, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Twinberry, Lonicera involucrata

Family
Honeysuckle, Caprifoliaceae

Location
Lower Lost ManTrail, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
From the USDA’s Plant Fact Sheet:  “Reports on the fruit vary from poisonous, to mildly toxic, to bitter and unpalatable, to edible and useful as food, depending on tribe, region or publication.”  Got it?  In any event, its twin berries are eaten by bears, small mammals, quail, grouse, and songbirds such as thrushes.  So be safe and leave it be! 

Don't need no stinkin' sunshine

Corallorhiza maculata, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Spotted corralroot, Corallorhiza maculata

Family
Orchid, Orchidaceae

Location
Weller Trail, 9,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Like other members of its genus, this orchid has no chlorophyll, so it obtains its nutrients not from photosynthesis but through mycorrhizal fungi.  It is found in our dry, spruce/fir woods.  

Senecio sunshine

Senecio amplectens var. amplectens, July 13, 2020

Common & scientific name
Showy alpine ragwort, Senecio amplectens var. amplectens

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Lower Lost Man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
I so love this flower!  Something about the way its petals bend and fold in different directions, and the fact that it appears only occasionally in spruce/fir forests in our area, makes this flower feel like a friend too rarely seen.