Stalking the stemless

Pyrola minor, August 15, 2022

Common & scientific name
Green-flowered wintergreen, Pyrola minor

Family
Wintergreen, Pyrolaceae

Location
Lost Man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This wntergreen is less common in our woods than its cousins P. chlorantha (also yellow/white) or P. asarifolia (magenta/pink). Its style is straight and shorter than that of P. chlorantha. It grows in moist, shaded woods. And I just learned that, like all Pyrolas, it does not have a true “stem”: just a stalk that its raceme of flowers grow on.

Oh so osha

Ligusticum porteri, August 15, 2022

Leaf

Common & scientific name
Osha, Ligusticum porteri

Family
Parsley, Apiaceae

Location
Lost Man Reservoir, 10,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This famous plant, famous for its medicinal properties, is native to the Rocky Mountain West. Because it can be confused with poison hemlock, which is deadly, and because it depends on mycorrhizal fungi, and so can’t be transplanted successfully, and because it is not overly abundant in our area, it is best to leave it alone.

A seed-making monster

Carduus acanthoides, August 15, 2022

Common & scientific name
Plumeless thistle, Carduus acanthoides

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Roadside, 9,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This invasive plant needs no introduction. It hails from Europe, and is a scourge across all 50 states. Spreading through its seeds, it’s important to de-head it before it goes to seed: each plant produces upward of 1,000 (and by some estimates 10,000) seeds! With a reported 90% germination rate, this one bears controlling. It appears in a few spots on the lower roadside of the Pass.

Don't be fooled

Symphyotrichum spathulatum, August 15, 2022

Common & scientific name
Western mountain aster, Symphyotrichum spathulatum

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Lost Man Reservoir, 10,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Can be distinguished from S. foliaceum by its skinnier, pointier phyllaries, and skinner, longer leaves. That being said, this is known to hybridize with S. foliaceum, so if you find something that has characteristics of both, or lies somewhere in between, well, in a sense you’ve found both!

Pulling me softly

Matricaria perforata, August 15, 2022

Common & scientific name
Scentless chamomile,  Matricaria perforata

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Weller, 9,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
The best thing that can be said about this non-native, non-odorous weed is that it pulls easier than any other.

The only white, water buttercup

Ranunculus aqualitis, August 9, 2022

Common & scientific name
Water crowfoot, Ranunculus aqualitis

Family
Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location
Meanders below top cut, 12,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This unusual, white-petaled buttercup is a true aquatic, meaning it is found submerged in ponds, and can be found in several locations on the Pass. Interestingly, Ackerfield identifies this plant as being found throughout Western Colorado EXCEPT in Pitkin County.

The nerve! (all three of them)

Solidago velutina, August 8, 2022

Common & scientific name
Three-nerve goldenrod, Solidago velutina

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Roadside, 8,800’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
A common, late-blooming goldenrod seen roadside on the lower part of Independence Pass, its many flowers sit on one side of the stems, which arch gracefully. It is named for the three distinct nerves that run from the base of its leaves to almost the tip.

S. velutina, roadside, 9,100’, August 15, 2022

An invader in our midst

Centaurea stoebe, August 9, 2022

Common & scientific name
Spotted knapweed, Centaurea stoebe

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Roadside, 8,300’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Spotted knapweed is native to eastern Europe, and was introduced to North America, “probably as a contaminant in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) seed and/or ship's ballast, in the late 1800s,” according to the US Forest Service. In 1920, the distribution of spotted knapweed in North America was limited to the San Juan Islands, but by 1998 it had spread to 326 counties in the western United States, including every county in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. It is now on the march in Colorado. Ackerman’s Flora of Colorado does not document it in Pitkin County, but here it is.

Our smallest gentian

Gentiana tenella, August 5, 2022

Same

Common & scientific name
Lapland gentian, Gentiana tenella

Family
Gentian, Gentianaceae

Location
Wet Gulch, 12,300’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This one is easy to miss! Standing just several inches high, usually a single, white/blue/soft purple, 4-petaled flower with fringed scales at its base sits atop a leafless stem. Look for it along tarn edges and in wet areas. Lapland gentian makes for a great, late-summer treasure hunt!

Late summer orchid

Spiranthes romanzoffiana, August 6, 2022

Same

Common & scientific name
Hooded ladies-tresses, Spiranthes romanzoffiana

Family
Orchid, Orchidaceae

Location
Midway area, 11,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
We don’t see this one very often on the Pass, so it is an exciting find. Its braid-like design of white flowers ascending in a geometric spiral distinguishes it from other orchids like white bog orchid. It grows in wet, often sheltered or shady places, and is a singular delight!

The tundra's final act

Gentiana algida, August 6, 2022

Same

Common & scientific name
Arctic gentian, Gentiana algida

Family
Gentian, Gentianaceae

Location
Above Jack Lake, 12,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
One of our loveliest and latest-blooming alpine flowers. Its delicate, whitish, almost see-through petals are decorated with purple or green lines and tiny spots.  Its thick rosette of long, green leaves comes out a month or more before the flower.  It can be found on dry alpine ground where only a few hearty flowers remain.  See this jewel of a gentian and kiss summer on the tundra goodbye!

Valley below Top Cut, 11,400’, August 9, 2022

Genus vs. genus

Packera dimorphophylla, August 5, 2022

Common & scientific name
Two-leaved groundsel or ragwort, Packera dimorphophylla

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Wet Gulch, 11,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
A number of yellow sunflowers previously included within the Senecio genus were moved three decades ago into the Packera genus.  P. dimorphophylla has triangular-shaped, clasping/auricled stem leaves and can be distinguished from its close cousin, P. crocatus, by those clasping stem leaves and yellower (less orange) color.

A late summer star

Swertia perennis, August 5, 2022

Same

Common & scientific name
Star gentian, Swertia perennis

Family
Gentian, Gentianaceae

Location
Wet Gulch, 11,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
After the oh-so-different green gentian, which grows 3-6’ tall and blooms midsummer, this is often the first purple gentian to bloom (I’m late posting this photo—it’s been out for awhile), and marks the beginning of the end of wildflower season.  Always found in wet meadows, star gentian, with its soft-purple coloring and pointed petals, can be found as a singular treat or in the company of dozens.  It is a poignant reminder of the nearing end of summer—enjoy it fully!

A Rocky Mountain namesake

Antennaria media, August 5, 2022

Common & scientific name
Rocky Mountain pussytoes, Antennaria media

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Grizzly Ridge, 12,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This species of pussytoes has black or blackish-green, phyllaries, is usually found above treeline, and is quite small, like this 3” specimen.

Decorating our roadsides

Heterotheca pumila, August 5, 2022

H. pumila seed heads, Linkins Lake Trail, 11,750’, August 28, 2022

Common & scientific name
Alpine goldenaster, Heterotheca pumila

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Roadside, 11,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
While all guide books describe this and its close cousin Heterotheca villosa as “highly variable” (in size, leaf shape, hairiness, etc.), it is easily identifiable by its strongly pungent smell, location (subalpine to alpine, in dry, exposed places like trailside or roadside), and its numerous yellow flowers atop a roundish mound of grayish-green leaves. 

The crazy-making daisy

Leucanthemum vulgare, August 5, 2022

L. vulgare, roadside 10,400’, August 15, 2022

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 the 2000s, it is the bane of Independence Pass.

L. vulgare leaves, Weller, 9,400’, August 15, 2022

A bit of a stiff

Symphyotrichum ascendens, August 5, 2022

Same

Common & scientific name
Western aster, Symphyotrichum ascendens

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Roadside, 8,700’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Another common roadside aster, it grows tall and in abundance in late summer.  It can be distinguished from purple daisies, Erigerons, by its wider ray florets (petals), and from other purple asters by its several rows of overlapping, shingle-like, dark-green phyllaries that curl outward.  Owing to its hairiness and stiffness, it has a bit of a coarse look and feel.

Douglas the polygonist

Polygonum douglasii, July 29, 2022

Common & scientific name
Douglas’ knotweed, Polygonum douglasii

Family
Buckwheat, Polygonaceae

Location
Grizzly Lake Trail area, 10,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
A native but often (probably always on the Pass) found in disturbed places like the Portal Campground area, it’s myriad colors and intricate floral shapes make this a rather lovely ground cover.

O-tay, Buckwheat!

Eriogonum umbellatum var. porteri, July 29, 2022

Common & scientific name
Subalpine buckwheat, Eriogonum umbellatum var. porteri

Family
Buckwheat, Polygonaceae

Location
Grizzly Lake Trail area, 10,600’

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.” What a wonderful variety of colors their flowers and seeds come in!

The nerve(s)!

Helianthella quinquenervis, July 29, 2022

Common & scientific name
Five-nerved sunflower, Helianthella quinquenervis

Family
Aster, Asteraceae

Location
Grizzly Reservoir area, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
If you’ve hiked to Crested Butte over West Maroon Pass before, you know this flower. Standing up to four feet tall with five (usually) prominent veins on the leaves, this is an unmistakeable sunflower that is seen primarily in the Lincoln Creek area on the Pass.

Same