2020 Wildflower Checklist
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!
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!
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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!
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.
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!
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
