August 15, 2009

The Flowering of a Mountain Marsh

In late July, the marshy areas along mountain creeks (10, 000 feet or 3100 m) are rich in flora. Here are some of the prevalent plants (Please correct me if I have the names wrong):
Shrubby cinquefoil Pentaphylloides floribunda. This plant is sold as a garden ornamental under the name Potentilla fruticosa.
Elephantheads, Pedicularis groenlandica. Note the curls at the end of each flower that look like an elephant's trunk. These are all over the high marshy meadows in July. Elk eat the plants when they are in bloom.
Queen's Crown, Clementsia rodantha.
Bog gentian, Gentiana calycosa.
Feltwort, Swertia perennis.
Unknown. Maybe a variety of gentian?
I recognize a harebell Campanula rotundifolia, but I can't identify the yellow-orange flower. Oh, well. A hike wouldn't be complete without at least one mystery plant...
To view more lovely flowers from all over the world, click here.

32 comments:

  1. Nice variety of flowers. I particularly like the elephantheads and the bog gentian.

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  2. Hello,Janie!You have the most beautiful flowers there...Great shot!

    kiss you,

    irina

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  3. Such pleasant surprises as you roam the mountain marshes in late July. A great place to take photos.

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  4. Lovely flowers. You live in such a beautiful place. Every time I come to your blog I am amazed at your header photograph.

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  5. Check this site for a possible identification of your mystery plant as pine sap. That one is more pinkish, but I've seen some variation in color.

    I've posted my own bog gentian photo from a couple of years ago at 365 No Themes No Memes We hope to do the same hike next week, so I may get an even better shot.

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  6. You've captured some beautiful flowers in your hike through the marshes. Thanks for taking us along. I've really enjoyed all of your hikes.

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  7. These wildflowers sure are a great collection of colors.

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  8. i love your yellow flowers and all your flower entries. love its unique colors.

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  9. Your wildflowers are very beautiful, and beautifully captured!
    I just looked through your last posts and enjoyed the story of your dogs very much - I was really moved that you took the black dog when he was old with you on your back, and I also loved Daisy swimming in the "dangerous" pond. I enjoy your posts so very much! Thank you!
    D'Ora sends greetings to Daisy, I think they would have much fun together :)

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  10. Oh, how beautiful flowers!

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  11. I could not tell you the names of any of them, but they are still delightful to encounter.
    Suz

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  12. Janie, that beetle was creative, too :)
    It crawled into my jeans when I was sitting in the meadow studying the map, and when I got up I felt something strang at my backside inside my jeans - the beetle! So I took him out and put him on the map and took a picture :)

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  13. certainly is a deep deep blue sanyd

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  14. Oh, the beauty of living in the high mountains where late summer and early fall still produce wonderful flowers.

    Great pictures.

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  15. Gorgeous flowers and photos! Beautiful colors as we get a last look at summer!

    Have a great week, Janie! Oh, and Mojo is a girl and she would love to play with Daisy!

    Sylvia

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  16. Such a lovely variety of wildflowers and thanks for identifying each one. Thoroughly enjoyed learning about them.

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  17. I never would have guessed how much beautiful color there is in the native plants your wonderful part of the country, Janie.
    Thanks for the journey, I enjoyed learning something new...

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  18. Janie: I always think wildflowers are beautiful and you have made some great captures.

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  19. Lovely flowers in those mountain marshy areas. How do you know the names - do you have a field book or something? I'd like to know more about our native plants here in south central KS, and I keep forgetting to do a search for a book or some sort of guide...

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  20. Hydrologically speaking, there is not high greater for an aquatic scientist than ascending to a mountain fen.

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  21. As a Landscape Architect, you'd think I'd know more about our native wildflowers. I knew most of them but there are several on your list I've never seen. COOL! I love seeing 'new to me' plants. Such a rush.

    I agree with you that the 'unknown' looks like a form of Gentian.

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  22. You give me so much pleasure with your wonderful collections of mountain flowers. Thank you.

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  23. Moors or bogs are wonderful trouvailles for many wildflowers, where they are not disturbed they can reseed or maybe they are perennials. I admire that you know their names. I recognized some also growing in Switzerland. We also used to grow Potentilla in the garden in Switzerland. It was a favourite of my husband.

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  24. Pretty blooms!
    Nice post and shots.

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  25. a lovely stroll through the alpine marsh.

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  26. Amazing!! Maniy flowers bloom.They look so curious.

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  27. Great shots!! I imagine we only have a few more weeks to enjoy the blooms!

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  28. These flowers are just beautiful. I love their colors. So pretty and so their names. :) you always have something to share, you are such a joy to us Janie. :) keep posting and smiling, life is beautiful!

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  29. Janie
    Your post is lovely.
    Wonderful flowers and colors!
    Thanks for posting for TODAY'S FLOWERS!
    Luiz

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  30. Many flowers this week on your page.I like the Bog gentia is the best.

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