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Yellow Alyssum -or- Pale Madwort (Alyssum alyssoides), family Brassicaceae (Mustard). Quote: 'Alyssum alyssoides is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by several common names, including pale madwort and yellow alyssum. It is native to Eurasia, but it can be found throughout much of the temperate world as an introduced species and sometimes a common weed. This is a hairy annual or biennial herb producing stems which grow upright or lie along the ground to a maximum length of 30 to 40 centimeters. It produces white or cream-colored flowers with small petals a few millimeters long. The fruit is a hairy capsule up to half a centimeter long containing seeds which are winged and have an embryonic root already present.' End quote.
Plant location: Seen
in the Big Bend campground in the Cache La Poudre Canyon, Colorado, on April 10, 2009. 
Bloom season: -
Sagebrush Buttercup (Ranunculus glaberrimus), family Ranunculaceae (Buttercup). This was not the very first wildflower we saw in 2009 but it is one of the earliest blooming. There were very few other wildflowers yet in the area. 
Plant location: Off a roadside along Larimer County Road 80C. Coordinates N-40.55.514 W-105.37.595. The altitude was 8223 feet. April 23, 2009. 
Bloom
season: Typically blooming in March and April but sometimes as early as February. 
Alpine Avens (Geum turbinatum), family Rosaceae (Rose). 
Plant location: Mt Evans Colorado on July 20, 2008. 
Bloom season: June through August. -
Unidentified Ranunculus specimen, family Ranunculaceae (Buttercup). 
Plant location: We found this montane example of Ranunculus at Lake John near Walden Colorado on April 24, 2009. The elevation was around 8000'. 
Bloom season: Unknown. Some of the difficulty in identifying which species of Ranunculus this is could be due to the very early bloom time of the plants. They are possibly
to immature to be certain of. Even using William Webers keys were not enough to claim a certainty. -
Spreading Wallflower (Erysimum repandum), family Brassicaceae (Mustard). Wallflower species can be challenging to identify. At first glance they may look the same but a closer inspection yields interesting distinctions. This plant displays a number of charactaristics (see Weber's plant key in Colorado Flora of the Eastern Slope) that pinpoint this species. The plants are low rather than tall with the stems (pedicels) nearly the same thickness as the siliques (those long green stem-looking structures pushing off from the stems). Notice that the siliques are quite long (widely spreading from the stem). The pedicels (stems) of the plant are also spaced rather far apart from one another. Click on the plant frame in our
thumbnail for the best view of these charactaristics. The foliage of the species is sinuate (wavy) at the basal area. This is not clearly shown in our example but can be seen when we crop in closely in our high resolution copy of the photograph. Finally, the siliques of the plant are green and fairly glabrous (smooth rather than hairy). Per WIKIPEDIA the plants are native to Eurasia but it is known in many other parts of the world as an introduced species and a common roadside weed. We think it quite pretty, not a condition we commonly consider in weeds :). The plants are annual herbs with a total of about 22 species in the genus. 
Plant location: Sighted in the Rocky Mountain National Park on July 17, 2008. There are a great many uses by Native American tribes of other
species in this genus. Per the website Plants for a Future is this about this specific species: 'The plant is used in Spain as an antiscorbutic. The seeds are used in the treatment of fevers.' End quote. 
Bloom season: May to August. 
Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), family Asteraceae (Aster/Sunflower). 
Plant location: Seen off the roadside on Hwy 285 Colorado, before the town of Buena Vista. The date was August 23, 2008. 
Bloom season: Commonly July and August. 
Tall Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata), family Asteraceae (Aster/Sunflower). 
Plant location: Seen along Hwy 36, approximately 6000' elevation towards the Rocky Mountain National Park. July 17, 2008. 
Bloom season: Unknown 
Gray Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), family Asteraceae (Aster/Sunflower). This specimen is a less mature example of the plant. They are very common and can grown quite a bit larger in diameter. 
Plant location: Hwy 285 headed towards Buena Vista Colorado, on August 23, 2008. Off the roadside. 
Bloom season:
August to October. 
Klamath Weed (Hypericum perforatum), family Clusiaceae was Hypericaceae. 
Plant location: Seen in the Rocky Mountain foothills in Colorado state at Hwy 72 and Plainview Road. The date was July 11, 2008. 
Bloom season: June to September.
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Tansy Mustard (Descurainia sophia), family Brassicaceae (Mustard). 
Plant location: Big Dry Creek Trail, Colorado, May 3, 2009. 
Bloom season: Tansy Mustard will be around for a good while ... since it blooms from April to August! -
Lavendar-leaf sundrops -or- Lavender-leaf primrose (Calylophus lavandulifolius), family Onagraceae. These bright yellow flowers were amoung the most showy, as well as numerous, of the flowers that we encountered on our hike on Pawnee Butte Trail# 840. The following is a quote from SW Colorado Wildflowers.com: 'This member of the Evening Primrose Family is a very close look-alike to some Oenotheras but the latter bloom in the evening and begin withering early in the morning whereas Calylophus lavandulifolia blooms during the day. The long trumpet-like flowers (see left center of the photograph) dry to shades of pink-orange-rust. Leaves are short and narrow with smooth edges. "Caly" is Greek for "calyx" and "lophus" is Greek
for "a crest", both referring to a small projection from the sepals. "Lavandulifolia" refers to the lavender-like leaves. The first specimen of this plant was collected for science by Edwin James near the Platte in Colorado in 1820 and the plant was named Oenothera lavandulaefolia by Torrey and Gray in 1840; it was renamed Calylophus lavandulifolia by Peter Raven in 1964.' End quote. Now you might agree with us, the BUDS of these flowers are very attractive all by themselves. With reddish/pinkish striped areas on the unopened buds, the plant was putting on a show before even blooming. See more photos of Calylophus lavandulifolia. 
Plant location: Seen on a hike in the Pawnee National Grasslands - Pawnee Butte, Trail #840 on May 26, 2008. This was an excellent hike
for sighting wildflowers!! We identified no less than TWENTY-FIVE new species of wildflowers on this hike. Having just moved to Colorado, this was a wonderful introduction to the Plains wildflowers of Colorado. We highly recommend this specific hike. 
Bloom period: Mid Spring through Summer. These really made a nice show. They could be found perching in the most unfriendly looking places, dressing up the views nicely as in our plant slide. Note the narrow non-toothed foliage in this frame, an identifying charactaristic of this species. -
Rocky Mountain Spurge (Tithymalus montanus), family Euphorbiaceae (Spurge). 
Plant location: Seen in Boulder Colorado, 28th St and Vineyard Place. This early bloomer was photographed on April 19, 2009. 
Bloom season: Per Guennel this blooms from May through July. -
Hairy Yellow Primrose (Oenothera villosa), family Onagraceae (Primrose). Villosa is a member of the Oenothera genus with about 125 species. Per WIKIPEDIA: 'Young roots can be eaten like a vegetable (with a peppery flavor), or the shoots can be eaten as a salad. The whole plant was used to prepare an infusion with astringent and sedative properties. It was considered to be effective in healing asthmatic coughs, gastro-intestinal disorders, whooping cough and as a sedative pain-killer. Poultices containing O. biennis were at one time used to ease bruises and speed wound healing. One of the common names for Oenothera, "Kings cureall", reflects the wide range of healing powers ascribed to this plant, although it should be noted that its efficacy for these purposes has not been demonstrated
in clinical trials.' End quote. 
Plant location: Seen in the Rocky Mountain foothills in Colorado state at Hwy 72 and Plainview Road. The date was July 11, 2008. 
Bloom season: July to September. -
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola), family Asteraceae (Aster/Sunflower). 
Plant location: This cheery little flower was photographed in the Adams Country Regional Open Space in Colorado State. The date was September 11, 2008. 
Bloom season: July to October. -
Hairy Evening Primrose (Oenothera villosa ssp. strigosa), family Onagraceae (Primrose). This is the TALL version of the Stemless variety in the previous frame. The website Native American Ethnobotany has these uses of this species by native american tribes: Navajo, Ramah Drug (Disinfectant) Cold infusion of dried root taken for "deer infection." - Navajo, Ramah Drug (Hunting Medicine) Dried leaves and tobacco smoked for good luck in hunting. 
Plant
location: Seen in the Adams Country Open Space, Colorado on August 19, 2008. 
Bloom season: July to September. -
Golden Aster Villosa (Heterotheca villosa), family Asteraceae, (Aster/Sunflower). 
Plant location: Date photographed October 4, 2008 in a Jackson County Colorado Open Space, Lookout Mountain area. 
Bloom season: Commonly July to September.
