Mouse click a thumbnail to see a larger image and informational details below the photos. Most thumbnails have three clickable views; flower, plant, and foliage. The selected image will stay visible until another slide is clicked.
-
Britton's Skullcap (Scutellaria brittonii), family Lamiaceae (Mint). It's easy to see where the name Skullcap comes from with this flower...when it is looked at in profile. Additional photographs show this here. The genus Scutellaria hosts about 300 species including brittonii, which is native to the United States. Information is scant on the perennial forb/herb. The plants can grow up to 10" in height. The plants in the area we found were rather few, only about 3 were blooming, none over about 4" tall. The plants are fire-resistant. William Weber (Colorado Flora, Eastern Slope) lists only three members of the genus in Colorado, one - laterifolia - is discussed below:
USES: Skullcap was once called mad-dog weed because of its use during the eighteenth century to treat rabies. In addition, Native Americans used skullcap as a sedative, tranquilizer, and digestive aid. Other cultures have used it as sedative and to lower fevers. Products containing skullcap should not be used in pregnancy or lactation. Before beginning herbal treatment. People should consult a physician, practitioner, or herbalist.
Plant location: Mark found this lovely little plant off the roadside along Left Hand Canyon Drive, Boulder County , Colorado on June 9, 2010. GPS coordinates: N40°06.427 W105°19.134 - Elevation: 5522'. The plants are found only in Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska.
Bloom season: May through July. -
Plant location:
Bloom season:
-
Showy Vervain -or- Dakota mock vervain -or- Prairie verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida), family Verbenaceae (Verbena). A native to the Americas, this plant is one of about 18 species in the genus. They can be annual or perennials. Positives with the plants are that they are bird attractors, are drought and deer resistant, and are a nectar source. The plants are not unusual to find in open grassy areas, which is where we saw this specimen. Bipinnatifida is the only member of the genus Glandularia in Colorado, according to William Weber (Colorado Flora Eastern Slope).
USES: From the wonderful and interesting website Native American Ethnobotany are these recorded uses: Keres, Western Drug Leaves crushed with rocks and rubbed on snakebites. Infusion of leaves used as a gargle for sore throat. Navajo, Ramah Drug (Panacea) Plant used as "life medicine."
Plant location: Found on Hwy 96, outside Beulah, Colorado on May 5, 2010 - GPS coordinates: N38°14.814 W105°02.074 - Elevation: 5596'. This species is found in about half of the United States: AL , AZ , AR , CA , CO , GA , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MS , MO , NE , NM , OK , SD , TN , TX , WI , WY.
Bloom season: Extensive - March through October. -
Plant location:
Bloom season:
-
Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis), family Brassicaceae (Mustard). This is a genus with a solo member. The plants originated from Europe and have made themselves...er...overpopular. In Colorado, Connecticut, and Massachusetts they are classed in various stages of noxious weeds. Indeed, the plants are found in almost every state of the U.S. On a stand alone basis the plants are quite beautiful, tall with striking flowers that offer a pretty show from afar. Usually flowering takes place in the 2nd year of the plants life cycle. The flowers look very much like phlox, don't be fooled. The flowers are fragrant becoming more intensely so towards evening time, somewhat like cloves. 
USES: Per the website Plants For a Future: Young leaves - raw. Rich in vitamin C, they are used as a cress substitute in salads. A rather bitter flavour, though many people like the extra tang it gives to salads. For culinary purposes, the leaves should be picked before the plant flowers. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads. The seed contains 50% of an edible oil - there is a potential for cultivation. An essential oil from the seed is used in perfumery.
These plants are known by many common names: Dame's Rocket, Damask Violet, Dame's Violet, Dames-wort, Dame's Gilliflower, Night Scented Gilliflower, Queen's Gilliflower, Rogue's Gilliflower, Summer Lilac, Sweet Rocket, Mother-of-the-evening and, Winter Gilliflower.
Plant location: Seen off the roadside of Hwy 36, North, towards Estes Park, Colorado. The date was May 26, 2009.
Bloom season: From spring as late as August. -
Plant location:
Bloom season:
-
Sagebrush Mariposa Lily -or- Bigpod Mariposa (Calochortus macrocarpus), family Liliaceae (Lily). Thank you BOB BAGLEY, for your contribution of these images!! The flowers of this plant can only be described as stunning! Bob emailed us recently wondering about the plants. He and his family were enchanted with the bloom, found during a family vacation at the Steam Boat Rock State Park in Eastern Washington State. This brought a bit of nostalgia for us, along with the delight in a beautiful flower. We enjoyed a family gathering some years back at that same park. This species was one of many collected on the Lewis and Clark expedition. The perennial herb is one of about 70 species in the genus, part of whose name means beautiful grass in Greek. Mariposa, in Spanish, means butterfly. Bob did a good job in showing two differing blossoms from this plant. Per the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower website about this species: 'One of the most frequent Mariposa Tulips in the arid Northwest. A white phase with a reddish stripe on each petal occurs in southeastern Washington and adjacent west-central Idaho.' The Burke Museum of University of Washington lists this species as native to Washington state (among probably others) and abundant and of no concern. USES: This species is edible in a few different forms and were used by Native Americans for food and in other ways: Okanagan-Colville - Poultice of mashed bulbs applied to the skin for poison ivy. Bulbs eaten raw or pit cooked with other roots. Roots used as a principle food. Corms formerly cooked and used for food. Sweet flower buds used for food. Klamath - Species used for food. Thompson - Mashed bulbs placed in cheesecloth and used for the eyes. Corms formerly cooked and used for food. Sweet flower buds used for food. Coated, starchy corms used for food. Sweet buds eaten. Unopened flowers eaten raw. Corms used for food, usually raw, but sometimes cooked. Shuswap Food (Forage) - Plant eaten by cattle and sheep. Paiute - Bulbs eaten raw, boiled or roasted.
FunFact: Miller, Allen and Antos, in the Canadian Journal of Botany: 1790-1799 (2004), observed that individual plants of Calochortus macrocarpus can remain dormant for a period of one to four years. This seems to be a strategy by the plant to avoid unfavourable environmental conditions in a particular year, allowing it to instead grow within an environmental regime that is more favourable to eventual reproduction.
There are two listed varieties of Calochortus macrocarpus: maculosus and macrocarpus. The presence of Maculosus is classed in sensitive status in Washington state. This could be due to the fact that grazing cattle find the bulbs of the plants (all types) appetizing, and also from possible over-collecting of the bulbs of the plants by people, which kills it. This gorgeous plant can be found from commercial sources if it is wanted for a cultivated garden or to grow for food. We have found 3 other species in the genus Calochortus in our wanders. See them: elegans - gunnisonii - lyallii. All of them are really lovely.
Plant location: Steam Boat Rock State Park in Eastern Washington State, on June 26, 2010. The exotic looking blooms are found in realtively few of the United States: California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. They also can be found in a small area of British Columbia Canada. Habitats are commonly dry plains, sagebrush slopes, and at elevations of about 4000-6000 ft. That is Steamboat Rock in the background :). Bob photographed the plant with a Canon EOS REBEL XTi.
Bloom season: June through August, depending of course on location and conditions, in dry, usually volcanic, soils. -
Plant location:
Bloom season:
-
Plant location:
Bloom season:
-
Plant location:
Bloom season:
-
Plant location:
Bloom season:
-
Plant location:
Bloom season: