Heterotheca villosa, June 9, 2021
Common & scientific name
Hairy golden aster, Heterotheca villosa
Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae
Location
Above winter gate, 8,550’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
While all guide books describe this plant as “highly variable” (in size, leaf shape, hairiness, etc.), it is easily identifiable by its strongly pungent smell, location (dry, exposed places, often roadside), and its numerous yellow flowers atop a mound of grayish-green leaves.