XPackera pauciflora - Alpine GroundselX
Click/Tap a thumbnail image to see its larger image with informational details.
-
Alpine Groundsel (Packera pauciflora), family Asteraceae (Aster/Sunflower)
This pleasing little plant packed a powerful color punch for it's size. We saw it snuggled in with quite a few other species at the summit of Cottonwood Pass (the one near Granby Colorado), along the trail that is right at the parking lot of the summit. Nice easy hike, go as far or near as you like. Great views.
Weber mentions in his book of Eastern Slope keys that this plant is infrequently seen. A diagnostic of the identity is the purple phyllaries. Our original sighting of this species was in the Medicine Bow area in Wyoming but our images of the specimen entire was incomplete.
Flower -
Plant location: Photographed on Cottonwood Pass towards Buena Vista on July 30, 2011. GPS coordinates: N39?49.665 W106?24.552 - Elevation: 11,506'. Found in the following United States: AK, CA, CO, ID, MI, MN, MT, NV, WA, WY.Plant -
Bloom season: July through late August.
Note the rounded basal foliage versus the distinctly pointed leaves on the stem holding the flower. Distinctive of the species.Foliage -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-