Erigeron acris, July 20, 2022
Common & scientific name
Bitter fleabane, Erigeron acris
Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae
Location
Weller Lake, 9,600’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This very occasional plant on the Pass grows from a taproot and woody rhizome. Its ray florets (petals) are quite short and thin, almost giving the plant the appearance of having only disk flowers. It seems to grow near rocks, and is apparently a biennial or short-lived perennial species.
Same
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.
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!
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
Agoseris glauca, July 29, 2022
Common & scientific name
Pale agoseris, Agoseris glauca
Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae
Location
Portal Campground area, 10,600’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This flower can look at first glance like a dandelion, with its single yellow flower head on a leafless stalk. The big differences lie in the phyllaries and the basal leaves: the phyllaries do not curl over backwards like a dandelion’s, and are green with purple stripes; and the leaves are simple, not cut. It’s fruit, called a cypsela, has soft, white bristles resembling the puff ball of a dandelion (photo to come!)
Same