Ugly? Not!

Ranunculus inamoenus, June 13, 2023

Common & scientific name

Graceful buttercup, Ranunculus inamoenus

Family

Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location

Lower Lost Man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Wonderful that this flower’s common name, Graceful buttercup, has effectively, by popular vote, overruled its scientific name, which translates as “unattractive” or “ugly” buttercup.” With its shiny, sunny flowers and interesting leaves—basal leaves rounded, stem leaves deeply cut—it definitely deserves better!

A slender fella

Boechera lignifera, June 13, 2023

Common & scientific names

Desert rockress, Boechera lignifera

Family

Mustard, Brassicaceae

Location

Weller Curve, 9,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

”The taxonomic complexity of the Boechera genus is legendary,” proclaims the Flora of North America. Truer words have never been spoken. Telling the different species apart requires examining the plant’s hairs under a microscope, along with the shape and length of its silique (seed pod). “A rare confluence of hybridization, apomixis, and polyploidy makes Boechera one of the most difficult genera in the North American flora.” Having examined all parts of this delightful, delicate spring flower, I am putting my money for the moment on B. lignifera. However, I will need to wait until it goes to seed to examine its silique for certainty. And even then . . .

Word of the day: "cleistogamous"

Viola adunca, June 13, 2023

Common & scientific name

Blue violet, Viola adunca

Family

Violet, Violaceae

Location

Ridge above Turkey, 11,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

As lovely as violets are, they do not rely on pollinators as their primary means of reproduction. Rather, certain of a violet plant’s flowers don’t develop pollinator-attracting attributes, never open, and stay underground or emerge only after their seeds mature into fruits. Such self-fertilizing flowers are “cleistogamous.

June 16, Linkins Lake Trail, 11,700’

The choke's on you

Prunus virginiana, June 11, 2023

Common & scientific name

Chokecherry, Prunus virginiana

Family

Rose, Rosaceae

Location

Grottos, 8,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

So named because of its berries’ bitter flavor—and indeed their seeds contain cyanide—Chokecherry is popularly used to make jam, and was a staple of Native American diets, as cooking rids the fruit of its cyanide and bitter taste.

A work of art

Iris missouriensis, June 11, 2023

Twin Lakes, 9,100’, seedpods, August 31, 2023

Common & scientific name

Rocky Mountain iris, Iris missouriensis

Family

Iris, Iridaceae

Location

Twin Lakes, 9,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

More modest in size and coloring than its cultivated brethren, but always a thrill to find in the wild (and to this observer’s eye, more beautiful in its delicacy), this wild iris thrives in wet areas like Twin Lakes meadow and the Grottos

June 20

A beary important berry

Amelanchier alnifolia, June 6, 2023

Common & scientific name

Serviceberry, Amelanchier alnifolia

Family

Rose, Rosaceae

Location

Difficult Traill, 8,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Like all members of the Rose family, the flowers of Serviceberry shrubs have five petals. Its berries are eaten by wildlife including birds, rodents, and bears, and the larva of the distinctive, yellow and black Swallowtail butterfly is frequently found here.

Elderberry wine, anyone?

Sambucus racemosa, June 6, 2023

June 13, 2023

In fruit, above Grottos, 10,500’, September 2, 2023

Common & scientific name

Red elderberry, Sambucus racemosa var. microbotrys

Family

Moschatel, Adoxaceae

Location

Weller Campground, 9,250’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

The berries of its eastern cousin are used to make wine and for myriad medicinal purposes. Our berries—in lovely red or orange—are safe to eat only after being cooked, and are only marginally palatable. Leave them for the wildlife!

In fruit, above Grottos, 10,500’, September 2, 2023

The second of many Senecios

Senecio wootonii, June 6, 2023

Common & scientific name

Wooton’s ragwort, Senecio wootonii

Family

Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location

Roadside, 9,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

As Senecios go, this one is relatively easy to identify, owing to its smooth, hairless, almost blueish leaves. It is often found in dry meadows or forests (like lodgepoles). Give yourself a round of applause for learning (yet another) Senecio!

In search of a family

Maianthemum racemosum, June 6, 2023

June 14, 2023

Common & scientific name

Large false Solomon’s seal, Maianthemum racemosum

Family

??? (see below)

Location

Difficult Campground, 8,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Loves aspen groves above all, less delicate in its flower than its close relative, Maianthemum stellatum, False Solomon’s seal, and searching for a loving home. Different authorities place it in no less than four families or subfamilies: (1) Liliaceae, Lily, (2) Convallariaceae, Mayflower, (3) Asparagaceae, Asparagus, and (4) Ruscaceae, Butcher’s Broom. Confused yet? Give it ten years and the experts will land on one!

In fruit, September 26, 2023

A marigold's best friend

Trollius albiflorus, June 6, 2023

June 16, Linkins Lake, 12,000’

Common & scientific name

Globeflower, Trollius albiflorus

Family

Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location

Lower Lost man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

These newly-blooming flowers will morph from light yellow to white over the next several days. In addition to Marsh marigolds, Globeflowers can be confused with Narcissus-flowered anemones, Anemone narcissiflora, which bloom a bit later and have hairy stems, where Globeflowers are hairless.

Goodbye, snow, hello, marigolds!

Caltha leptosepala, June 6, 2023

June 13, 2023

Common & scientific name

Marsh marigold, Caltha leptosepala

Family

Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location

Lower Lost Man, 10,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

As the snow melts and streams & springs emerge, Marsh marigolds follow suit. They often emerge alongside or at the same time as Globeflowers, Trollius albiflorous. Marsh marigolds can be distinguished by the blue streaks on the back of their flowers, and by their leaves, which are entire, while Globeflowers’ are palmate and cut.

Currantly unavailable

Ribes wolfii, June 6, 2023

Common & scientific name

Wolf’s currant, Ribes wolfii

Family

Gooseberry, Grossulariaceae

Location

Difficult Campground, 8,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This common currant is the only Ribes in our area without spines. Unfortunately, its berries are small, spiny-hairy, and bitter—no need for protection!

Let me paint you a picture

Castilleja miniata, June 6, 2023

Common & scientific name

Red paintbrush, Castilleja miniata

Family

Broomrape, Orobanchaceae

Location

Roadside, 9,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Paintbrushes owe their lovely coloring not to their flowers, but to their bracts, specialized leaves which in this case are red (or orange, or deep red, or . . . ). This species of paintbrush is thought to be the second most widely distributed paintbrush in the world

Aspen grove below 82, 8,600’, June 30, 2023

Here, kitty, kitty!

Antennaria rosea, June 5, 2023

Geissler, 12,900’, July 21, 2023

Common & scientific name

Rosy pussytoes, Antennaria rosea

Family

Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location

Difficult area, 8,100’

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 pink 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

Linkins Lake area, 12,300’, July 11, 2023

All things bright and beautiful

Viola canadensis, June 1, 2023

June 14, 2023

Common & scientific name

Canada violet, Viola canadensis

Family

Violet, Violaceae

Location

Difficult Trail, 8,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Canada violets, found scattered throughout our woods, are unmistakeable. They have heart-shaped leaves, bright white petals, and purple lines guiding pollinators to their yellow center. Here they will come into contact with pollen, which will stick to their legs or bodies and be carried to the next flower for cross-pollination. Cross-pollination allows for the exchange of genetic information among plants, leading to the extraordinary diversity we see on our hikes.

Looking for a nice family

Maianthemum stellatum, June 1, 2023

June 1, 2023

Common & scientific name

False Solomon’s seal, Maianthemum stellatum

Family

??? (see below)

Location

Difficult Campground, 8,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Loves aspen groves above all, more delicate in its flower than its close relative, Maianthemum racemosum, Large false Solomon’s seal, and searching for a loving home. Different authorities place it in no less than four families or subfamilies: (1) Liliaceae, Lily, (2) Convallariaceae, Mayflower, (3) Asparagaceae, Asparagus, and (4) Ruscaceae, Butcher’s Broom. Confused yet? Give it ten years and the experts will land on one!

The stars of the forest

Aquilegia elegantula, June 1, 2023

June 1, 2023

Common & scientific name

Western red columbine, Aquilegia elegantula

Family

Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location

Difficult Trail , 8,200’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Nothing lights up a speckled woods like these dazzling red rockets. They are often found in large groups, and in the same location as fairy slippers. Look for both in early summer before they’re gone!

The bane of your existence?

Actaea rubra, June 1, 2023

June 1, 2023

In fruit, Weller Lake, 9,800’, September 2, 2023

Common & scientific name

Red baneberry, Actaea rubra

Family

Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location

Difficult Trail, 8,100’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Let’s be honest: most of us are fascinated by deadly, poisonous things. Especially beautiful, deadly poisonous things. Enter Baneberry. It begins with a delicate sprig of white flowers, which turn to shiny red or white berries later in the summer—berries that can kill you. Stop and pay homage to this beautiful killer.

In fruit, Weller Lake, 9,800’, August 15, 2023

A perennial favorite

Anemone patens var. multifida, May 30, 2023

June 6, 2023

Seedheads, July 10, 2023

Common & scientific name

Pasqueflower, Anemone patens var. multifida

Family

Buttercup, Ranunculaceae

Location

Lower Independence ghost town, 10,750’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

According to the Flora of North America, this perennial favorite’s elevational range is unusually broad, from 330 to 12,500’. It is an early bloomer, starting in April and continuing through August, depending on elevation and latitude. It can be found on prairies, open slopes (like this one, a subalpine dry meadow facing southwest), woods, or granite outcrops.

June 6, 2023

I am the multitudes

Cymopterus lemmonii, May 30, 2023

Common & scientific name
Mountain parsley, Cymopterus lemmonii

Family
Parsley, Apiaceae

Location
Slope-side southeast-facing, 11,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This common parsley, seen at every elevation on the Pass, gives scientists fits because of its morphological variability and differences of opinion as to how it should be classified, both genus and species-wise.  But it’s one of our easier plants to identify: it has carrot-like leaves and it’s yellow, unlike any other parsleys on the Pass, which are all white (EXCEPT Alpine parsley, Oreoxis alpina, which is mat-forming and much tinier in all aspects than Mountain parsley, and Eastwood’s woodroot, Podistera eastwoodiae ).