Bedding down for the summer

Paronychia pulvinata, June 21, 2022

P. pulvinata going to seed, above Linkins Lake, 12,300’, August 23, 2022

Common & scientific name
Alpine nailwort, Paronychia pulvinata

Family
Pink, Caryophyllaceae

Location
Above Linkins Lake, 12,300’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Inconspicuous yellow-green flowers embedded in tight, sometimes large mats, often growing directly on the crumbling granite of our high peaks.  This low-lying, wonderfully subtle flower knows how to make the best of things amidst the hard, desiccating winds of the high alpine!