Return to Forgetmenot Ridge, Kananaskis P.P., July 31/09

[Lori S.]

Cohan, I agree - it's the simplest explanation and therefore the most likely.  

1) Townsendia parryi(?) condensata (?), up top in the rocks and on the turfy ridges.
2) A much more substantial Erigeron aureus than I usually see.
3, 4, 5) I believe this is Minuartia obtusiloba... a Caryophyllaceae, 3 styles, etc.?
6) Sibbaldia procumbens
7) Bedding planes in conglomerate with great growths of lichen (indicating stability, at least)...
8 ) And rocky jumbles...
9) A little fellow who dwells in the rocks - pika (Ochotona princeps).
10) Antennaria spp. in a turfy swale.

[Lori S.]

1) Rocks and tiny plants... a fascinating combination!
2) An attractive Salix spp.
3) More Myosotis alpestris
4, 5, 6) And the interesting juxtaposition of ferns and sun and dry rocks... (I'm hopeless with ferns - suggestions for IDs would be most welcome!)
7) Asplenium viride...?
8 ) Erigeron spp.
9) And another very sweet little one...
10) And heading down again through the moister swale, wild chives, Allium schoenprasum..

[Lori S.]

In the mid-level woods...
1) ??  Pathfinder or trail plant, Adenocaulon bicolor...
2) and Pyrola chlorantha
3) Rest spot...  

In the forest openings near river level...
5)  Castilleja miniata...
6) Mertensia paniculata

On the river floodplain...
8 ) Epilobium latifolium; (also seen in one spot up in the rocks, second photo - not so dry as it looked right there!)
9) Saxifraga aizoides
10) And as a finale to a most interesting hike, a little colony of one of our insectivorous plants, butterwort, Pinguicula vulgaris.

[cohan]

lots more great stuff--
the flower to foliage ratio on the Townsendia is unbelievable!
the totally different colour on the immature Erig flower is very cool too, i haven't seen anything like that!
your E aureus looks quite different from what i was calling that, in terms of foliage...though royer and dickinson do show a reddish stem which mine has, and mention variable leaf shape...

can't help with the ferns, haven't figured out the few which have 'suddenly' turned up here...lol; i did see one in drumheller in a dry place, though partly shaded, at least the base; i like the small species that appear in sometimes dry and sunny places..first noticed them when looking at pictures of mexican crassulaceae succulents, many growing with miniature ferns!

love to see the Ping--this is very high on the list of natives i'd like to see and grow! you prob know there are tons of tender species in the genus grown as houseplants/greenhouse plants...

[Stephenb]

Lori (and Cohan): Thanks for showing the pictures from your area(s) - you seem to have all our wild plants (Pyrola chlorantha, Sibbaldia, Dryas etc) and a whole load more too... I've been fortunate (thanks to work trips) to do some botanising on the west coast (Sierra Nevada in California and Mt. Rainier (Seattle)...

By the way, is Allium schoenoprasum a native over there or is it introduced? If so, do you know if it is var sibiricum (the same as we have in Northern Norway)?

[cohan]

Lori (and Cohan): Thanks for showing the pictures from your area(s) - you seem to have all our wild plants (Pyrola chlorantha, Sibbaldia, Dryas etc) and a whole load more too... I've been fortunate (thanks to work trips) to do some botanising on the west coast (Sierra Nevada in California and Mt. Rainier (Seattle)...

By the way, is Allium schoenoprasum a native over there or is it introduced? If so, do you know if it is var sibiricum (the same as we have in Northern Norway)?

the coast has another whole bunch of great things!
lori has better books than me, so she might be able to add more--the book i have lists it as 'Allium schoenoprasum  also called A sibiricum'; i havent run into it myself...

[Ragged Robin]

Rocks and tiny plants... a fascinating combination!

Wonderful rock and plant shots, Lori, Erigerons are very cute - does Erigeron in 8250 start off buttery and then turn white or is it a different plant?
Erigeron aureus is a gorgeous colour...I love these little things commanding the scene so boldly:)

[Maggi Young]

Enjoying every step of the way, Lori   ..... I'm not even getting tired feet!  

Rocks and tiny plants... a fascinating combination!

 Yes, that says it all, doesn't it! 

[Lori S.]

Sorry but I just realized there were a couple of questions I had not answered...

By the way, is Allium schoenoprasum a native over there or is it introduced? If so, do you know if it is var sibiricum (the same as we have in Northern Norway)?

Wild chives is native here (and circumpolar), and ours is indeed "var. sibiricum".

does Erigeron in 8250 start off buttery and then turn white or is it a different plant?

I couldn't say with any certainty, Robin, but I thought it looked like a fresh flower (rather than an aged one), so I expect it lightens with time... ?  I'll have to try to figure out the species (it's rather daunting to see how many possibilities there are!), and maybe that will help to answer it.

Thanks, all, for your comments!