Brainard lake wildflowers

Elephant’s head, Pedicularis groenlandica, Scrophulariaceae (Figwort).  The individual spurred flowers in the spike look like elephant heads. Many of the flowers I saw on the Long lake trail were starting to dry up.

Indian paintbrush, Castilleja sp., Probably C. rhexiifolia (Rose Paintbrush), Orobanchaceae (Broomrape), Long lake trail

Globeflower, Trollius albiflorus, Ranunculaceae (Buttercup), Long lake trail. Next to a smaller buttercup.

Parry’s Primrose, Primula parryi, Primulaceae (Primrose), Long lake trail

Monument Plant, Frasera speciosa, Gentianaceae (Gentian), Red Rock lake

Yellow Stonecrop, Sedum lanceolatum, Crassulaceae (Stonecrop), Brainard Lake

Bistort, Bistorta bistortoides, Polygonaceae (buckwheat), Long lake trail. First picture with elephant heads, second picture with shooting stars.

Whipple’s Penstemon, Penstemon whippleanus, Scrophulariaceae (Figwort), Brainard Lake 07072017. Purple and white flowers.

Draba sp., maybe D. crassifolia (Snowbed Draba) Brassicaceae (mustard), Long lake trail. This is a TINY flower next to a full size pocket knife.

female flowers on a willow. Salix sp. Long lake trail

Golden banner, Thermopsis divaricarpa, Fabaceae (Pea), Red rock lake

Goldenrod, Solidago sp., probably S. simplex, Asteraceae (Sunflower) Brainard lake

Jacob’s ladder, Polemonium pulcherrimum, Polemoniaceae (Phlox), Long Lake.

purple aster, Brainard lake

Mountain Parsley, Pseudocymopterus montanus, Apiaceae (Parsley) Brainard lake

Hookedspur Violet, Viola adunca, Violaceae (Violet), Brainard lake

Pussytoes, Antennaria sp., First two photos look like A. rosea or A. marginata, Asteraceae (Sunflower) Brainard lake 07072017

Mountain gooseberry, Ribes montigenum, Grossulariaceae (Gooseberry)

Marsh marigold, Psychrophila leptosepala, Ranunculaceae (Buttercup), Brainard Lake 07072017

Monkshood, Aconitum columbianum, Helleboraceae (Hellebore)

Pygmy Bitterroot, Lewisia pygmaea, Portulacaceae (Purslane)

unknown Ericaceae (Heath) Brainard lake 07072017

butterfly – Fritillary family, Speyeria sp., Brainard lake 07072017

 

Rocky Mountain National Park wildflowers, shrubs, and bugs

A close up of Purple Fringe,  Phacelia sericea.  My friend Alice found this at the Alluvial fan.  It is also called purple pincushion — imagine the long stamens with yellow anthers are the pins. For this blog, I go with USDA plant database to chose between synonyms or to ID families, so I’ll call this a Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf). But one of my favorite websites, swcoloradowildflowers.com , puts this in the Borage family.

Purple Fringe,  Phacelia sericea . At the Alluvial fan.

Darn tick! Found this when I got home. The only tick in Rocky Mountain National Park is the Rocky Mountain wood tick. I believe this is a male. According to the fact sheet linked below, these can cause Colorado Tick Fever.

RMNP tick fact sheet

Pine Tiger Moth, Lophocampa ingens, photo credit to my friend Andrew.  ID through Bugguide.net. The caterpillars make “nests” that bind together the needles on the top of a  pine tree (or some other trees) and they feed on the needles. They pupate in early summer and moths emerge in July.  Here is information from CSU: Insects that feed on trees

Northern Fairy Candelabra, Androsace septentrionalis, Primulaceae (Primrose Family). I love the name of this tiny white flower. First photo is from Aluvial fan, second and third from Aspen Glen loop trail.

All the other cool stuff! Click on photos for slideshow with ID.