Colorado Alpine EcoFlora's Journal

Arctic Gentians are in the family Gentianaceae which includes multiple genera including 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘢, 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢, 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢, 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘢, and more!

Gentians are named after King Gentius who was the last ruler of ancient Illyria and is said to have discovered the medicinal value of these plants as a digestive tonic.

This beautiful plant can be easily overlooked, but when you look closer you’ll notice its astounding beauty with deep purple colors and tiny dots scattering the petals.

As the wildflower season in the alpine is coming to an end, please still adhere to Leave No Trace guidelines for recreating responsibly in the alpine. This includes staying on hard surfaces and trails, pack out all your waste, cleaning up after your pets, and always being prepared. The alpine environment is adapted to the toughest conditions but is still vulnerable to human disturbance.

Arctic Gentian and other gentians are some of the last alpine wildflowers to bloom so get up into the alpine and find them before the season ends!

Funky Thistle is funky indeed. This woolly alpine plant was discovered only two years ago in 2022 near Leadville by Dr. Jennifer Ackerfield at Denver Botanic Gardens. It had been mislabeled as another species for years. Dr. Ackerfield named it in honor of her mentor Dr. Vicki Funk.

Funky Thistle is important to the alpine ecosystem as bumblebees fall asleep in its soft warm flowers and pikas have been seen carrying its spiky leaves back to their haypiles. You can find this funky plant in alpine meadows, scree slopes, and sometimes in subalpine forests!

Alpine EcoQuests are botanical scavenger hunts that are open to everyone. Each month of the short alpine growing season, community scientists focus on finding a specific plant for the Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project.

The Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project invites botany-enthusiasts of all levels to observe, study and conserve native Rocky Mountain alpine plants using iNaturalist, an easy-to-use mobile app. All you need is a sense of curiosity and to start exploring!

As you enjoy hiking into the alpine this summer, please adhere to Leave No Trace guidelines for recreating responsibly in the alpine. This environment is adapted to the toughest conditions but is still vulnerable to human disturbance. Stay on hard surfaces and trails; pack out all your waste; clean up after your pets; and always be prepared.

Happy botanizing!

This month for our July Alpine EcoQuest we are focusing on locating Elephant's-Head Lousewort (𝘗𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢).
The common name of this unique showy plant is very fitting because of its pink and purple colored flowers that are shaped like little elephant heads spiraling around its stem. Finding this plant is truely an unforgettable and magical experience!

This plant originally got the name Lousewort (𝘗𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴) from Linnaeus because of the superstitious belief that livestock grazing on the plant would get lice (even though there was little evidence to support this).

Elephant’s-Head Lousewort can be found in moist meadows, marshes, along streams and creeks, and in the alpine tundra.

Alpine EcoQuests are botanical scavenger hunts that are open to everyone. Each month of the short alpine growing season, community scientists focus on finding a specific plant for the Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project.

The Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project invites botany-enthusiasts of all levels to observe, study and conserve native Rocky Mountain alpine plants using iNaturalist, an easy-to-use mobile app. All you need is a sense of curiosity and to start exploring!

As you enjoy hiking into the alpine this summer, please adhere to Leave No Trace guidelines for recreating responsibly in the alpine. This environment is adapted to the toughest conditions but is still vulnerable to human disturbance. Stay on hard surfaces and trails; pack out all your waste; clean up after your pets; and always be prepared.

Happy botanizing!

Hello alpine plant enthusiasts and welcome to the inaugural Alpine EcoQuest for the Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project!

Alpine EcoQuests are botanical scavenger hunts that are open to everyone. Each month of the short alpine growing season, community scientists focus on finding a specific plant for the Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project.

For our first Alpine EcoQuest, we’ll focus on observing the Alpine Buttercup (Ranunculus adoneus). This petite perennial is one of several species in the Ranunculus genus that occur in the alpine here in CO, and is distinguished by its bright yellow flowers and deeply dissected leaves with linear terminal segments. Often encountered along the edges of melting snowbanks or even popping up through the snow, this sunny flower is a reminder of the resiliency of alpine plants in even the harshest of conditions.

The Colorado Alpine EcoFlora Project invites botany-enthusiasts of all levels to observe, study and conserve native Rocky Mountain alpine plants using iNaturalist, an easy-to-use mobile app. All you need is a sense of curiosity and to start exploring!

We wish you a beautiful start to the summer, and as always please adhere to Leave No Trace guidelines for recreating responsibly in the alpine. This environment is adapted to the toughest conditions but is still vulnerable to human disturbance. Stay on hard surfaces and trails; pack out all your waste; clean up after your pets; and always be prepared.

Happy botanizing and stay tuned for more Alpine EcoQuests this season!