6/27/2010 Email from Jim E: It’s in full bloom now, Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha [K. gracilis]).
6/28/2010 Email update from Jim: “and here’s a better photo, taken just this morn—nicely backlit”
Junegrass in June!!!
Madwort ID’d
Jim E sent two photos he took of this plant to Jennifer Ackerfield of the CSU Herbarium.
6/24/2010 Jennifer emailed: “Ah, you have Asperugo procumbens. I had it in my yard too this year. Weird little Boraginaceae with downward pointing bristles/hairs on the stem.”
6/24/2010 Jim’s response: “I thought it had to be a borage, what with the coarse ‘hairs’ —Weber & Wittmann say ‘The name borage comes from a Middle Latin source, burra, meaning rough hair or short wool, just as the modern work, bur.’ Somehow, I got trapped in the doublet that led to Symphytum and Anchusa. I should have looked a bit further to Asperugo. The description fits perfectly: ‘Flowers in the axils of the stem leaves; fruiting calyx much larger than the flowers; weakly-stemmed annual with retrorsely prickly hispid leaves. Asperugo Madwort.'”
First blooming grass of season
5/28/2010 Email from Jim E.: “I noted today that Muttongrass (Poa fendleriana) is in full bloom, likely our first to do so.”
Dryspike Sedge is Fruiting Now
05/24/2010 Jim E. emailed this information on Dryspike Sedge (Carex foenea): “It IS “an early fruiting species, but not what I thought. I saw it today on the trail of the USFS’ meadow inholding near here. Rather short with a tight spike on a single culm. The genus Carex is extremely difficult to key out (at least for me), with many species here on the Eastern Slope. A graduate student at CU/Boulder did his doctorate on these critters. You might pass this on to the few others for their take on this very common Carex adapted to dry conditions.”
Meager spring blooms this year
5/19/2010 Email from Jim E today: “I spotted a small plant with basal leaves and a flower cluster atop a stalk. It looked like a saxifrage, but not the one I’m familiar with. Finally found it in the list under Saxifrage (Micranthes rhomdoidea) and it matches the figure in Weber & Wittmann. Lots of Pasqueflower still, but little else other than Chiming Bells or Bluebells (Mertensia lanceolata). And common, a close-to-the-ground Dwarf Mountain Fleabane (Erigeron compositus).
Perhaps early June, we might have another meadow amble to refresh some of the names of the herbaceous gems. I’m at a loss for the short white-flowered mustard that looks like Candytuft.” Note from Ellen: Jim keyed it out to Candytuft.
Glacier View Meadows Ecology 