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Mount Evans - Alpine Flowers

Tundra . . . it elicits images of barren landscapes, inhospitable to life . . . not so much.
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Lots of stuff happening here . . . some Alpine Springbeauty, some Fungous Umbrellicus, what looks to be Dwarf Clover (Trifolium nanum), and what was finally identified as Paronychia pulvinata (Rocky Mountain Nailwort).<br /> <br /> The rocks have interesting colors, shapes, and textures as well.
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Lots of stuff happening here . . . some Alpine Springbeauty, some Fungous Umbrellicus, what looks to be Dwarf Clover (Trifolium nanum), and what was finally identified as Paronychia pulvinata (Rocky Mountain Nailwort).

The rocks have interesting colors, shapes, and textures as well.

Mount EvansColorado SceneryMountain SceneryAlpine flowersDwarf CloverTrifolium nanumRocky Mountain NailwortParonychia pulvinata

  • "Alpine" is not specifically referring to the Alps, but rather to the area above the tree line (around 12,000 feet here in Colorado. . . until the climate changes). It's the elevation at which trees have too short a growing season. This may be due to low moisture, too low a temperature, or persistent snowpacks. <br /> <br /> The alpine terrain is known as the tundra. These photos will show some of the typical growth found in this environment. <br /> <br /> I think this is a Alpine Springbeauty Plant, Claytonia megarhiza, but they vary in description.
  • Based on my "Devil is in the Details" gallery, this is Fungous Umbrellicus . . . <br /> <br /> . . . but some people call it Xanthoria elegans. That sounds so vulgar! I much prefer my name for it.<br /> <br /> By the way, for those interested, there are a lot of details in these photos when viewed at full resolution (check out the nice rock in the previous photo).
  • Lots of stuff happening here . . . some Alpine Springbeauty, some Fungous Umbrellicus, what looks to be Dwarf Clover (Trifolium nanum), and what was finally identified as Paronychia pulvinata (Rocky Mountain Nailwort).<br /> <br /> The rocks have interesting colors, shapes, and textures as well.
  • These are rocks growing among some dwarf clover and moss champion flowers.
  • A bit of everything . . . rocks, dwarf clover, more Rocky Mountain nailwort, and Alpine Sandworth, and more rocks.
  • More Moss Campion with unidentified close fronds.
  • Alpine Springbeauty Plant spending some face-time with The Grass. The surrounding rocks have a lot of character as well.
  • Yet some more Moss Campion, but also check out the original size to see the details of the lichen and rocks.
  • A close-up showing the detail of both the flowers (Moss Campion) and the rocks.
  • More Alpine Springbeauty Plant . . . . a more intimate view.
  • Bistorta bistortoides (Bistort), of the Buckwheat family.
  • The pink flower is Trifolium parryi (Parry Clover), and the red bloom is either King’s Crown Flowers (Sedum integrifolium), or Red Stonecrop (Tolmachevia integrifolia).<br /> <br /> I'm leaning more toward the King's Crown.
  • A closeup of the Parry Clover.
  • A close-up of what I think is King’s Crown Flowers (Sedum integrifolium)
  • This looks like some sort of grain plant or grass . . . The thing is I remember coming across this in my search for other flower names, but I can't seem to find it again. <br /> <br /> . . . I'm calling it . . . Copper Stembrow, also commonly referred to as Bro.
  • I think this is an Alpine Avens flower (Acomastylis rossii ssp turbinatum)
  • What the ground looks like . . .
  • Dwarf Clover (Trifolium nanum), and some Alpine Avens
  • That is a Stealthy Ground Spider, Cesonia Bilineate, on a Marsh Marigold Flower, Caltha leptosepala.<br /> <br /> I'm pretty sure about the spider, but the flower is not a 100% thing . . . the pictures for that particular flower are all over the place. Still, pretty sure.
  • Same flower, but this time with a fly . . . perhaps I should have gotten those two together . . . they make a good pair.
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