Hybrid fun

Packera tridenticulata, May 13, 2023

June 13, 2023

Common & scientific names


Three-toothed groundsel, Packera tridenticulata

Family


Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location


Weller Curve, 9,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact


This flower could be a cross, i.e, a hybrid, between two species, with its basal leaves usually—with an emphasis on “usually”— having three terminal lobes (the “teeth” of “tridenticulata”) and the plant having a hairy, cobwebby appearance overall (more like the P. neomexicana species). I’m going for P. tridenticulata on this one.

June 16, Discovery area, 10,400’

Good day, sunshine!

Corydalis aurea, May 9, 2023

Common & scientific names
Golden smoke, Corydalis aurea

Family
Fumitory, Fumariaceae

Location
Roadside, 8,750

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
One of only four species found in Colorado from the Fumitory family, which has many species on the east and on the west coast. These unusual flowers are related to Dutchman’s breeches and Bleeding-hearts, and are the yellow cousin of one of Colorado’s most spectacular flowers, Case’s fitweed, Corydalis caseana, found only in wetter areas of Colorado like Marble and Crested Butte.

Spring has sprung

Claytonia lanceolata, May 16, 2023

May 23, 2023

Common & scientific name
Spring beauty, Claytonia lanceolata

Family

Miner’s Lettuce, Montiaceae

Location
Difficult Trail, 8,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Wherever you find this cheery, candy-cane-striped flower, you’ll know the snow just melted there. Spring beauty is sometimes called “Indian potato” because its corm—the enlarged, bulb-like base of its stem under the soil—apparently tastes like potato when cooked. I say “apparently” because I haven’t personally tried them. I prefer ogling them to eating them (and I’m lazy). Note the variation in color, from almost white to lavender.

Southeast facing slope at 11,500’, May 30, 2023

First flower of 2023!

Mertensia fusiformis, May 06, 2023

May 23, 2023

Common & scientific name
Spring bluebells, Mertensia fusiformis

Family

Borage, Boraginaceae

Location
Difficult Trail, 8,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This bluebell’s charming genus starts small in the spring at lower elevations with Mertensia fusiformis (or M. brevistyla, depending on your botany expert of choice), shows up similarly small in the alpine in early-mid June as Mertenisa lanceolata, and goes big (like 6-feet big) in mid-summer as Mertensia ciliata.