The leaves have it

Claytonia megarhiza, June 29, 2025

Common & scientific name

Alpine springbeauty, Claytonia megarhiza

Family

Purslane, Portulaceae

Location

Independence Ridge, 13,000’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

This totally unmistakeable plant can be found growing among rocks in the high alpine. Its white flowers, colored with yellow centers and pink anthers, are found squeezed tight within a round rosette of succulent leaves that are deep purple at emergence (as with the plant at left), turn green during bloom, then bright red after.

Finally!

Sullivantia hapemanii, June 27, 2025

Common & scientific name

Hapemann’s coolwort, Sullivantia hapemanii

Family

Saxifrage, Saxifragaceae

Location

Grottos climbing wall area, 9,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

I’ve been searching Independence Pass for this rare Colorado plant for ten years. Alas, as soon as I stopped searching, there it was! Happy to find this elegant beauty, found in seeping rock wall/cliff areas.

Baby blues

Hackelia floribunda, June 27, 2025

Common & scientific name

Many-flowered stickseed, Hackelia floribunda

Family

Borage, Boraginaceae

Location

Grottos climbing wall, 9,500’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact

Named after Josef Hackel, an early 19th century Czech botanist, Hackelia floribunda's endearing light-blue flowers become small, flattened nutlets with prickles along the edge, in typical Borage/velcro-like fashion (see photo bottom left). This tall, lovely plant is unusual on the Pass—keep your eyes peeled!