Big daddy dandelion(s)

Tragapogon dubius, June 7, 2022

Tragapogon pratensis, June 14, 2022

T. pratensis, seedhead, roadside 10,000’, August 8, 2022

Common & scientific name
Yellow salsify, Tragapogon dubius & T. pratensis

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Roadside, 8,300’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

The first, a non-native, is known mostly for its huge, dandelion-like seed head. Salsify was introduced from Europe owing to its edible roots.  The pointy phyllaries exceeding its ray florets distinguishTragapogon dubius from T. pratensis, a native, below.

T. pratensis, second bloom of season, roadside 10,000’, August 8, 2022

T. dubius second bloom, Twin Lakes area, 9,400’, August 17, 2022

A pointilist paintbrush

Castilleja linarifolia, June 7, 2022

Common & scientific name
Wyoming paintbrush, Castilleja linarifolia

Family
Broomrape, Orobanchaceae

Location
Roadside below winter gate, 8,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

One of five species of paintbrushes found on the Pass, Wyoming paintbrush (so named because it is the state flower of Wyoming) is found at the lowest elevations on the Pass. Typically this species is identified as a late summer flower, but not on the Pass.  C. linarifolia is the tallest and skinniest paintbrush in appearance, due to its mostly linear leaves, and does not have the soft, fuzzy appearance of its red cousin, Castilleja miniata. It occasionally takes on varying shades of yellow and orange, likely through mutation.

Bursting with abundance

Cardamine cordifolia, June 7, 2022

Common & scientific name
Heartleaf bittercress, Cardamine cordifolia

Family
Mustard, Brassicaceae

Location
Roadside, 8,900’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Like all mustards, Heartleaf bittercress has four petals in the shape of a cross, and all its parts are edible (if bitter).  It will bloom in profusion near streamsides all summer.  When it has gone to seed, give its pods a squeeze and watch them burst!

What makes a wildflower a weed?

Barberea orthoceras, June 7, 2022

Common & scientific name
American yellowrocket, Barberea orthoceras

Family
Mustard, Brassicaceae

Location
Winter gate, 8,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This is a circumpolar species, meaning it is distributed around the world in the Northern Hemisphere.  If it looks like a “weed,” well . . . that brings up the interesting question of what a “weed” really is.  This plant is native and has evolved over many thousands of years to share space with other natives.  But it isn’t particularly attractive, and can grown in great numbers (not on the Pass, however).  Probably the best definition of a weed is a plant that grows where people don’t want it to grow!

In a daze

Erigeron leiomerus, June 3, 2022

E. leiomerus phyllaries, Top Cut 12,100’, July 14, 2022

E. leiomerus, white version, Top Cut 12,100’, July 14, 2022

Common & scientific name
Rockslide daisy, Erigeron leiomerus

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Grottos climbing wall, 9,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
This cheery lavender and occasionally white daisy has glandular, deep-purple phyllaries (see bottom left) and few, very small stem leaves (most of its leaves are at the base of the plant, i.e., “basal” leaves).

E. leiomerus, June 16, 2022

How low can you go

Cymopterus alpiina, June 3, 2022

Common & scientific name
Alpine parsley, Cymopterus alpina

Family
Parsley, Apiaceae

Location
Above Midway, 12,300’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

William Weber, the foremost authority on the flora of Colorado, describes Oreoxis alpina as “a common dwarf alpine on granitic mountains of the Continental Divide.”  Bingo!  This minute yellow flower is a common early summer companion on the high mountains  and ridges of Independence Pass, where it stays low to the ground and protected from wind by surrounding rocks and vegetation.

This daisy doesn't like to be pigeon-holed

Erigeron compositus, June 3, 2022

E. compositus, near summit, June 7, 202

E. compositus, Geissler, 13,200’, July 7, 2022

Common & scientific name
Cutleaf daisy, Erigeron compositus

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Grottos wall, 9,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Cutleaf daisy’s petals—or more properly speaking, its ray flowers, as all individual daisy flowers are composed of multiple ray flowers (the petal-looking parts) and/or disk flowers (which together make up the button-looking part)—can be white, pink, or light blue.  They can also be absent entirely, leaving a head with only yellow disk flowers (see photo below).

E. compositus, Geissler, 13,000’, July 7, 2022

Berry yummy!

Ribes cereum, June 3, 2022

Common & scientific name
Wax currant, Ribes cereum

Family
Currant, Grossulariaceae

Location
Grottos climbing wall, 9,750’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Ribes is native to western North America.  R. cereum’s edible berries are soft and juicy, with a mild but fruity taste.  Unlike other area species of Ribes, its berries are smooth—try one later in the summer!

Beauty subjective

Descurainia incisa, June 2, 2022

Common & scientific name
Mountain tansymustard, Descurainia incisa

Family
Mustard, Brassicaceae

Location
Aspen grove, 8,700’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Yes, it’s weedy looking, tall and stringy, but it’s native, it’s edible, and it’s part of the great floral melting pot!

Distinguish Descurainia species by their siliques (seed pods), as seen on the photo below, and their leaves, using a good key by Weber or Ackerman. I won’t bore you with how I arrived at D. incisa . . .

Visualize whirled peas

Lathyrus lanszwertii, June 2, 2022

L. lanszwertii, June 16, 2022

Common & scientific name
Lanszwert’s pea, Lathyrus lanszwertii

Family
Pea, Fabaceae

Location
Aspens roadside, 8,600’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

A common peavine found everyone on the Pass below treeline, especially in Aspen forests and open meadows.  White with a hint of pink or purple guide lines, it turns rust-colored with age.