Rock cress (Boechera drummondii)

Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium montanum)

Skullcap (Scutellaria brittonii)

Miner's candle (Oreocarya virgata)

A Memorial Day visit to Reynolds Ranch Open Space yesterday afternoon resulted in a bunch of new flowers in bloom. Rock cress (Boechera drummondii), pussytoes (Antennaria sp.), Miner's candle (Oreocarya virgata), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium montanum), skullcap (Scutellaria brittonii), paintbrush (Castilleja sp.),mountain parsley (Pseudocymopteris montanus), mouse-eared chickweed (cerastium strictum), candytuft (Noccaea montana), false Solomon's seal (Maianthemum stellatum), two different violets-one deep purple and one a light lavender color (Viola spp.), and one of my most favorite montane plants, blue-mist penstemon (Penstemon virens). One time, several years ago, I saw the east field at Reynolds covered in blue with this pretty little flower. It didn't take much imagination to see where the blue-mist common name originated.



Prickyl lettuce (Argemone polyanthemos)

Yucca glauca

We went to the Green Mountain dog park this morning. Nothing new from last time (May 12) except that the yucca (Yucca glauca) is flowering. I also saw prickly poppy (Argemone polyanthemos) in full bloom on a road cut, south facing, on the way home from the park.

Chiming bells (Mertensia longiflora)

Rock primrose (Androsace septentrionalis subumbellata)

 

Mountain parsley (Pseudocymopteris montanus)

Today we took a trip up over Hoosier Pass, elevation about 11,500'. I'm not 100% positive about most of the following bloonmers we saw, but here's my best guess: Potentilla (species unknown), candytuft (Noccaea montana), chiming bells (Mertensia longiflora), mountain parsley (Pseudocymopteris montanus), and rock primrose (Androsace septentrionalis subumbellata).

Boulder raspberry (Oreobatus deliciosus)

Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus)

Starwort

Sunday afternoon Clear Creek Canyon-Boulder raspberry (Oreobatus deliciosus), mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus), and starwort, species unknown (Stellaria sp.) are flowering. On our morning dog walk, I noticed flowers on Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia).

Sisymbrium altissimum

One additional plant from yesterday that we saw is tumble or Jim Hill mustard, Sisymbrium altissimum.

Scarlet gaura (Gaura coccinea)

Fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens)

Salsify (Tragopogon dubius major)

We saw these flowers in bloom today on the Green Mountain dog park. 

Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria genistifolia dalmatica)



Copper mallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea)



Black medic (Medicago lupulina)

Sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

Today I saw wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris), houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale), Sorrel (Oxalis stricta), and dalmatian toadflax (Linaria genistifolia) in full bloom at Chatfield Reservoir. We have black medic (Medicago lupulina) blooming in our front yard.

One-sided penstemon (Penstemon secundiflorus)

Evening primrose (Oenothera flava)

A Saturday morning quick walk to Rattlesnake Ridge produced two new bloomers: one-sided penstemon (Penstemon secundiflorus) and an evening primrose (Oenothera flava). The primrose has large, yellow petals and leaves that are basal. Most of them are tapered at both ends. The penstemon flowers are on one side of the rachis and it has opposite leaves.