June, 2017

Thursday, June 1st

Locations: North Table Mountain Park.  

Astragalus flexuosus G. Don. Flexible Milkvetch.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Lowest slopes of North Table Mountain, along the Mesa Spur Trail, below power line, 460 m. south of W. 58th Avenue, 4.77 km. north northeast of the GNIS location of Golden 39.7979°N, 105.2117°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1788 m. Moderately disturbed mixed grass prairie.

Other articles: North Table Loop along trail
Leaf of undetermined tree.
Undetermined tree beside North Table Loop.  

Sphaeralcea coccinea (Nutt.) Rydb. Scarlet Globemallow.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Lower northeast slopes of North Table Mountain, on North Table Loop, near the Neighborhood Access Trail on West 53rd Drive. 39.7937°N, 105.1984°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1831 m.

Potentilla fissa Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray. Bigflower Cinquefoil.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Lower northeast slopes of North Table Mountain, near North Table Loop and the Neighborhood Access Trail off West 53rd Drive, among rocks in a minor gulley. 39.7945°N, 105.1994°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1832 m.

Other articles: Golden Checklist Flora Poa bulbosa  

Poa bulbosa L. Bulbous Bluegrass.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Lower northeast slopes of North Table Mountain, near North Table Loop and the Neighborhood Access Trail off West 53rd Drive, among rocks in a minor gulley. 39.7945°N, 105.1994°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1833 m. Also seen along the Mesa Spur Trail. Colorado Noxious Weed List C.

Other articles: North Table Loop near W 53rd Dr
Inflorescence of Coll. No. 1652, Nassella viridula  

Nassella viridula (Trin.) Barkworth. Green Needlegrass.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Lower northeast slopes of North Table Mountain, near North Table Loop and the Neighborhood Access Trail off West 53rd Drive. 39.7951°N, 105.2008°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1841 m.

Other articles: North Table Loop near Metz parcel
Coll. No. 1653, Phlox multiflora  

Phlox multiflora A. Nelson. Mountain Phlox.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. North slopes of North Table Mountain, at the base of the steepest slopes, near North Table Loop trail, 4.7 km. north northeast of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7954°N, 105.2022°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1843 m. Trailing down a break in slope. In retrospect, this also appears to be at the mouth of a small watercourse.

Coll. No. 1653, 1 Jun 2011, characters observed: Perennial, tufted, decumbent to ascending, 7-10 cm.; Internodes, 8-9 mm.; Leaves, cauline, opposite, 23 mm. × 2 mm. wide, ±linear, sharp-pointed; Flowers, solitary at ends of stems, pedicels, 12 mm., hairy, calyx, tube 5 mm. + lobes 6 mm., sparsely hairy, hyaline membranes flat; corolla, tube 14 mm + lobes 11 mm. × 7 mm. wide, color (not recorded), fading blue.

Other articles: North Table Loop s. of williams parcel
Coll. No. 1654, Symphoricarpos sp.  

Symphoricarpos rotundifolius A. Gray. Roundleaf Snowberry.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. North slopes of North Table Mountain, at the base of the steepest slopes, near North Table Loop trail, 4.7 km. north northeast of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7956°N, 105.2034°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1844 m. Long floral tube, ochroleucus, among deep grasses in a small swale.

Coll. No. 1654, 1 Jun 2017, characters observed: Shrub, to 70 cm.; Leaves, opposite, 12 mm. × 9 mm. wide, ovate, margin entire; Inflorescence, terminal racemes on short branches; Calyx, 1.5 mm.; Corolla, tube 10 mm. + lobes 1.7 mm., color ochroleucus, few hairs near base of tube (around the style); Stamens, #5; Filaments, free 2 mm.; Ovary, inferior; Style, 3.5 mm., glabrous; Fruit, berry, white.

Monday, June 5th

Heuchera parvifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray. Littleleaf Alumroot.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Western section of North Table Mountain, on a terrace beside a northward draining unnamed watercourse, 3.2 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7845°N, 105.2226°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1901 m. Forb, leaves basal, petioled, palmate veined, simple, Inflorescence scapose panicle, calyx 5s, petals 5-6, small white, style 2.

Oenothera suffrutescens (Ser.) W. L. Wagner & Hoch. Linda Tarde.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Northwest section of North Table Mountain, on a lobe of the mountain that is formed by the lowest lava flow embedded within the Denver Formation, 3.28 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7849°N, 105.2246°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1913 . Short grass with Cercocarpus montanus, Artemisia frigida, and A. ludoviciana.

Other articles: Golden Checklist Flora Euphorbia esula
Coll. No. 1657, Euphorbia esula  

Euphorbia esula L. Leafy Spurge.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Northwest section of North Table Mountain, on a lobe of the mountain that is formed by the lowest lava flow embedded within the Denver Formation, 3.25 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7847°N, 105.2249°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1911 m. Colorado Noxious Weed List B.

Physocarpus monogynus (Torr.) J.M. Coult. Mountain Ninebark.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Steep north slope, northwest section of North Table Mountain, just below a lobe of the mountain that is formed by the lowest lava flow embedded within the Denver Formation, 3.32 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7852°N, 105.2261°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1890 m.

Thursday, June 8th

Other articles: North Table Mountain Trail at social trail

Locations: North Washington Open Space.
North Washington Open Space as seen from North Table Mountain  

Paronychia jamesii Torr. & A. Gray. James' Nailwort.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Top of North Table Mountain, near Golden Cliffs Trail, 1.70 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7709°N, 105.2199°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1941 m. Very thin vegetation with patches of bare mesa caprock.

Saturday, June 10

Locations: North Table Mountain Park.
Phemeranthus parviflorus on top of North Table Mountain.  

Friday, June 16th

Locations: North Washington Open Space.  

Bromus inermis Leyss. Smooth Brome.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7687°N, 105.2316°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1792 m. Northeast corner of the parcel, where there is nearly a monoculture of smooth brome with a few Canada thistle. Some of the neighbors have taken to mowing this area.

Delphinium carolinianum Walter ssp. virescens (Nutt.) R.E. Brooks. Carolina Laskspur.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7686°N, 105.2331°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1821 m. Top of hill where there is less disturbance and fewer invasive weeds.

Tradescantia occidentalis (Britton) Smyth. Prairie Spiderwort.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7685°N, 105.233°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1827 m. In a slightly more exposed area on the south side of the hill.

Hymenopappus filifolius Hook. var. polycephalus (Osterh.) B.L. Turner. Many-Headed Fine-Leaved Wooly-White.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7685°N, 105.2331°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1817 m. Finely divided leaves. In a slightly more exposed area on the south side of the hill where there are fewer non-natives and less disturbance.

Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners. Hairy False Goldenaster.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7686°N, 105.233°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1818 m. Top of hill, center of parcel. Somewhat ambiguous as to var. minor vs. var. nana.

Gaillardia aristata Pursh. Blanketflower.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7686°N, 105.2332°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1819 m. Top of hill, center of parcel.

Other articles: Field Notes Coll. No. 1710, 14 Jul 2017  

Literature Cited:
- Barkworth, Mary E., Laurel K. Anderton, Kathleen M. Capels, Sandy Long, and Michael B. Piep, 2007.
Coll. No. 1667, Festuca saximontana
Inflorescence of Coll. No. 1667, Festuca saximontana  

Festuca saximontana Rydb. Rocky Mountain Fescue.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7687°N, 105.2334°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1819 m. Western edge of hill, adjacent to social trail.

Coll. No. 1667, 16 Jun 2017, characters observed: Perennial, to 30 cm.; Rhizomes, 0; Culm, very sparse scabrous below inflorescence; Leaves, sheath, open, ligule, membraneous, 0.2 mm., auricles, 0.5 mm., short hairy distally, blades, revolute; Inflorescence, panicle, 50 mm. × 9 mm. wide; Spikelets, 1 per node; Disarticulation, between florets; Florets, #6±, 9 mm. × 3.5 mm. wide; Glumes, #2, pubescent only on distal veins and margins, lower, 2.5 mm., veins 1; upper, 3.5 mm., veins 2, tip mucronate; Lemma, 4 mm., veins 5, obscure but best seen at base, awn, #1, 1.5 mm., from tip of lemma; Palea, ≥lemma, veins green, tip bifid; Anthers, 1.8-2.0 mm.

Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray. Spreading Fleabane.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7686°N, 105.2335°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1816 m. West-central part of hill, southwest slope.

Bromus japonicus Thunb. Japanese Cheat Grass.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7687°N, 105.2344°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1799 m. Far western, revegetated, part of parcel.

Rosa arkansana Porter. Prairie Rose.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7684°N, 105.2329°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1813 m. Armament of new growth quite variable. South side, near top of hill, scattered among grasses.

Oenothera suffrutescens (Ser.) W. L. Wagner & Hoch. Linda Tarde.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. West side of hill, on the edge of a path that the neighbors have mowed into the smooth brome.

Convolvulus arvensis L. Field Bindweed.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7688°N, 105.232°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1806 m. Colorado Noxious Weed List C.

Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm. Buffalo Grass.

North Washington Open Space, Jefferson County, Colorado. Small (4 acre) fallow city-owned parcel in northern Golden, near the intersection of Colorado Highway 93 and Washington Avenue, 1.75 km. northwest of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7688°N, 105.232°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1803 m. Pistillate plants only. Northeast section where the neighbors have mowed the smooth brome.

Monday, June 19th

Locations: Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park.  

Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm. Buffalo Grass.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.1 mile north on Plainview Road, then 120 m. northeast on an old ranch road now used as a service road. 39.8885°N, 105.2604°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1916 m. In a somewhat elevated drier location between the tracks of an old road.

Lupinus caudatus Kellogg var. argophyllus (A. Gray) S.L. Welsh. Kellogg's Spurred Lupine.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.1 mile north on Plainview Road, then 580 m. east northeast to the lowest terrace of Coal Creek. 39.8894°N, 105.2548°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1907 m. Among deep grasses and near the mouth of a minor ephemeral creek.

Coll. No. 1675, 19 Jun 2018, characters observed: Perennial, to 1 m.; Leaves, cauline, petiole 35-40 mm., palmately compound, 44 mm. × 70 mm. wide, leaflets, 7-9, 36 mm. × 9 mm. wide, oblanceolate, veins 1, adaxial glabrate, abaxial appressed hairy; Inflorescence, well above the leaves, 25 cm. × 3.5 mm. wide; Pedicel, 3.5 mm., recurved, silky hairy; Calyx, silky hairy, lower lobe, 9 mm., upper lobe, 6 mm., spur, more a bump, ≤1 mm.; Banner, 9 mm., reflexed 2.5 mm from tip, folded tightly over wings, back hairy inside folds; Wing, 10 mm. × 5.5 mm. wide, claw, 1.5 mm. × 1 mm. wide; Keel, 10 mm., hairy on bottom, tip dark, recurved <3 mm. giving closed appearance; Style, glabrous; Stigma, small, 4-lobed.

Oxalis stricta L. Common Yellow Oxalis.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.1 mile north on Plainview Road, then 550 m. east northeast to Coal Creek. 39.8879°N, 105.255°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1907 m. On a gravel and sand bar in Coal Creek.

Literature Cited:
- Greene, Edward Lee, 1902.

Other articles: Golden Checklist Flora Erigeron commixtus, Greene 1902  

ERIGERON COMMIXTUS. With the habit of E. flagellaris, smaller, less stoloniferous, the leaves relatively broader, some entire, others with one or more conspicuous lobes at base of the blade, the whole plant almost hoary with a stiffly hirsute pubescence, this spreading on the leaves and petioles, retrorse on the stems and peduncles : heads, rays, achenes, etc., much as in E. flagellaris. Canon of the Limpia, mountains of western Texas, 26 April, 1902, S. M. Tracy and F. S. Earle; also collected by the present writer, in the same general region, namely, in the mountains near Silver City, New Mexico, 18 May, 1880, and distributed for E. flagellaris. The species last named has a rather obscure, fine closely appressed hairiness. That of the new one is so extremely different, that were the plants of the size of a Sunflower or Goldenrod, no botanist would confuse them as one species, were the pubescence the only character. I may remark that true E. flagellaris reaches the mountains of even southern New Mexico, where, however, it occurs only in a more elevated biological zone.

We now treat E. commixtus as a synonym of E. tracyi.

ERIGERON TRACYI. Allied to the last but dwarf, only 2 or 3 inches high, densely leafy at base and with no stolons (at least at flowering time): petioles of the spatulate-lanceolate entire leaves shorter than the blade or obsolete; the whole herbage silvery-hoary with a fine dense strigulose pubescence, or this more sparse and spreading on the solitary scapiform peduncle: involucre hispidulous: outer pappus very conspicuous though consisting of only shorter and setiform hairs, the inner of a few very delicate capillary ones. Davis Mountains, western Texas, Tracy and Earle, 28 April, 1902.

Literature Cited:
- Gray, Asa, 1849.

Other articles: Golden Checklist Flora Gray, 1849  

? 334. E. FLAGELLARE (sp. nov.): bienne ? striguloso-puberulum, pumilum; caulibus gracillimis e basi ramosis, floriferis seu primariis simplicibus superne aphyllis monocephalis, sterilibus patentibus flagelliformibus; foliis spathulatis mucronulatis inferioribus in petiolum gracilem attenuatis integris seu radicalibus parce inciso-lobatis, ramealibus parvulis sublinearibus sessilibus; ligulis numerosis gracilibus (albis purpureo tinctis) involucrum hirsutum duplo superantibus; pappo radii et disci conformi duplici, exteriore coroniformi-squamellato conspicuo, interiore e setis sub-20 fragilibus. — Low, moist places, along Santa Fe Creek; May, June. (381.) -- Root slender. Flowering stems 5 to 7 inches high, very slender, few-leaved below the middle, naked and pedunculiform above; the head rather smaller than in the preceding species; the involucre, &c., similar. Lower leaves one to two inches long, including the slender petiole; those of the runner-like sterile branches decreasing to 2 or 3 lines in length. This species should rank next to the foregoing.

The “foregoing” was Erigeron cinereum (sp. nov.), now treated as a synonym of E. tracyi Greene. The head was described as “… as large as those on Bellis perennis …” and the involucre was described as “… hirsutum duplo superantibus …” [… coarse erect or ascending hairs doubly … ??? ]

Literature Cited:
- Torrey, John, and Asa Gray, 1841.

Other articles: Golden Checklist Flora Torrey & Gray, 1841-3  

?26. E. divergens: somewhat hoary with a minute hirsute pubescence, diffusely branched from the base; leaves small, entire, acute; the radical somewhat spatulate, narrowed into a short petiole; the cauline scattered, sessile, linear, narrowed at the base; heads (small) mostly solitary terminating the naked branchlets or peduncles; rays very narrow and numerous, twice the length of the hirsute involucre; inner pappus of few (8-12) very slender and deciduous bristles. —Erigeron (Oligotrichium) divaricatuum, Nutt.! in trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. (n. ser.) 7. p. 311, not of Michx. Rocky Mountains, and plains of the interior of Oregon, Nuttall ! —(? Stems about a foot high, diffuse, ascending, slender, at length much branched. Leaves half an inch to an inch long, 1 to 2 lines wide. mucronate-acute. Heads rather smaller than in E. tenue; the rays (white, Nutt.) nearly similar; the exterior pappus shorter.

Wednesday, June 28th

Locations: Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park.  

Poa compressa L. Canada Bluegrass.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. 1.7 miles west of Colorado Highway 93 on Colorado Highway 72 (Coal Creek Canyon Road), 1.2 miles north on Plainview Road, then 67 meters east into the open field. 39.889°N, 105.2608°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1923 m. Relatively short stature, in drier areas.

Coll. No. 1677, 28 June 2017, characters observed: Perennial grass, 35-40 cm.; Rhizomes, numerous; Culms, compressed; Nodes, compressed; Leaves, sheath 40-55 mm., open top ¾, ligule, membraneous, 1 mm., blade, 40-55 mm., folded; Inflorescence, panicle, contracted, 45 mm. × 12 mm. wide; Spikelets, 4 mm. × 1.5 mm. wide; Disarticulation, above the glumes, between the florets; Glumes, #2, lower, 2 mm., veins #3, upper, 2.2 mm.; Florets, 5 per spikelet, at least some bisexual; Lemma, 2 mm., keeled, few hairs near base, veins, #5, neither equally spaced nor prominent, tip, obtuse, awns, 0; Palea, 2 mm., veins, green, sparsely scabrous, purple between; Anthers, 1.6 mm.

Apocynum ×floribundum Greene. Dogbane.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.3 miles north on Plainview Road, then 20 meters east into open prairie. 39.8904°N, 105.2616°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1947 m. Along old road in the direction of the original homestead.

Coll. No. 1678, 28 Jun 2017, characters observed: Perennial, 45-50 cm., in open prairie; Leaves, 40-57 mm. × 15-25 mm. wide, ovate, lanceolate, and oblong; Calyx, lobes, 1.4-1.6 mm.; Corolla, lobes, 2.5-3.0 mm., erect to spreading in distal ⅓, faded to thin pink veins and various blotches of pinkish color; Corolla lobes 1.56-2.14 times as long as the calyx lobes.

Erigeron flagellaris A. Gray. Trailing Fleabane.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.3 miles north on Plainview Road, then 20 meters east into open prairie. 39.8904°N, 105.2616°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1952 m. Stem hairs appressed antrorsely. Along old road in the direction of the original homestead.

Other articles: Golden Checklist Flora Potentilla recta
Coll. No. 1680, Potentilla recta  

Potentilla recta L. Sulphur Cinquefoil.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 210 meters east northeast into open prairie. 39.8923°N, 105.2597°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1942 m. Along a faint old ranch road that goes in the general direction of the original homestead. Colorado Noxious Weed List B.

Coll. No. 1680, 28 June 2017, characters observed: Perennial herb, to 50 cm., hairy throughout, short (0.3 mm.) hairs glandular, long (4 mm.) hairs straight spreading eglandular; Leaves, stem, 7-8 per stem, alternate, stipules, to 20 mm., lobed, petioles, to 80 mm., blade, palmately compound, leaflets, #5, 45 mm. × 14 mm. wide, lobed ½ to mid-rib, progressively reduced above; Calyx, 9 mm. × 9 mm. wide, flattened at base; Petals, 8 mm., yellow; Style, 1.3 mm., tapered throughout, not appearing warty; Achene, 1 mm., attached laterally, reticulate in color, but not texture.

“The long, stiff, spreading, tubercle-based hairs on stems and petioles of P. recta, overtopping a layer of short hairs and glands, also serve to distinguish this aggressive species from native P. gracilis at any stage of the life cycle (FNANM).”

Literature Cited:
- Barkworth, Mary, 1978.
Coll. No. 1681, Hesperostipa spartea
Coll. No. 1681, Hesperostipa spartea  

Hesperostipa spartea (Trin.) Barkworth. Porcupine Grass.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 205 meters east northeast into open prairie. 39.8923°N, 105.2598°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1940 m. Along a faint old ranch road that goes in the general direction of the original homestead. "Rare and relictual in tall grass prairie along the base of the Front Range (Weber & Wittman, 2012)."

Coll. No. 1681, 28 June 2017; Perennial, to 80 cm., clumped; Stem, herbaceous; Leaves, blade and sheath differentiated, soft; Sheath, open; Ligule, membraneous, 5 mm., forked, auricles, 2.5, 5.0 mm.; Blade, flat, glabrous, sparsely scabrous; Inflorescence, 1 per culm, 25 cm., panicle, branching evident, >leaves; Rachis, glabrous, not extended beyond upper spikelet; Spikelets, many, similar, 1 per node; Compression, unremarkable; Disarticulation, above the glumes; Florets, 1 per spikelet, bisexual; Glumes, both present, ±equal, 25 mm., rounded, veins #5, awns 0, tip somewhat awn-like, margins entire; Callus, sharp, 2.5 mm.; Lemma, 11-14 mm., < glumes, tough, rolled, color, medium brown, veins ≥5, hairs, to 2 mm proximally to glabrous distally, color dark brown, awns, #1, 9.5 cm., twisted, attached, end; Palea, ±lemma, glabrous;

Other articles: Glossary vestiture  

This turned out to be a mixed collection of similar taxa in Potentilla Sect. Rivales. FNANM shed some light on this section:

The North American representatives of sect. Rivales are morphologically distinctive in being annuals, biennials, or short-lived perennials (especially in cold regions) with very short, conic-tapered styles. Plants grow primarily in wet habitats, especially where periodically inundated. These distinctions led E. L. Greene (1906c) to adopt Tridophyllum. However, the gross morphological cohesiveness is not matched by molecular monophyly. Instead, chloroplast data scatter Potentilla norvegica, P. rivalis, and P. supina among the core Potentilla, while P. biennis is sister species to the monophyletic Ivesia-Horkelia-Horkeliella clade (C. Dobeš and J. Paule 2010; M. H. Töpel et al. 2011). Nuclear markers, on the other hand, place P. norvegica as sister to the Ivesia-Horkelia-Horkeliella clade (Töpel et al.), suggesting a possible hybrid origin and/or multiple origins of the biennial habit.

Existing herbarium annotations of Potentilla biennis, P. norvegica, and P. rivalis are not reliable, but the three species can be readily distinguished by vestiture of proximal petioles and stems. Only P. biennis has prominently septate gland-tipped trichomes; P. norvegica is characterized by relatively stiff, spreading, tubercle-based hairs to 3 mm, resembling those of P. recta. In addition, the tiny, smooth, pale achenes of P. biennis and P. rivalis contrast sharply with the larger, darker, strongly ridged ones of P. norvegica.

Other articles: Glossary ternate
Coll. No. 1682.1, Potentilla rivalis
Ternate leaf of Coll. No. 1682.1, Potentilla rivalis  

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 450 meters east northeast to the original homestead location. 39.8947°N, 105.2583°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1915 m. Very wet, water from an open running well.

Coll. No. 1682.1, 28 June 2017, characters observed: Perennial herb, to 60 cm., in very wet places; Stem, erect and branched at base decumbent to ascending, proximal hairs weak, 1 mm., eglandular; Leaves, compound, palmate and ternate, petiole 0-62 mm. + blade 37 mm. × 40 mm. wide, leaflets, 3-5, both sides, green, sericeous, hairs weak; Sepals, 3 mm., green; Petals, 4 mm. × 2.5 mm. wide, yellow; Style, 0.7 mm.; Achene, 0.9 mm., light greenish-brown, smooth, maybe very minutely pappilate.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 450 meters east northeast to the original homestead location. 39.8947°N, 105.2583°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1915 m. Very wet, water from an open running well.

Coll. No. 1682.2, 28 June 2017, characters observed: Perennial herbs, to 50 cm., in very wet places, not stoloniferous; Leaves, petiole 20 mm. + blade 42 mm. × 23 mm., pinnately compound, leaflets, 9, 15 mm. × 6 mm. wide, margins flat; Sepals, 4 mm., green; Petals, 4 mm. × 2.5 mm. wide, ±=sepals, yellow; Style, 0.6 mm., tapered, Achene, 1 mm., brown, large white protuberance.

Trifolium hybridum L. Alsike Clover.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 450 meters east northeast to the original homestead location. 39.8947°N, 105.2584°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1908 m.

Coll. No. 1683, 28 Jun 2017, characters observed: Perennial herb, to 50 cm., sprawling-ascending; Leaves, cauline, petiole to 90+ mm., stipules, to 25 mm., entire, acute, leaf compound, ternate, leaflets, 3, 20 mm. × 16 mm. wide, attached at a single point, margin serrate, generally glabrous, scant hairs along distal margins; Inflorescence, flowers in heads, peduncles, 55-95 mm., heads 22 mm. diameter, many flowers, bracts inconspicuous (1 mm.); Calyx, tube 1 mm. + lobes 2 mm.; Corolla, 7 mm.

Verbena bracteata Lag. & Rodr. Large Bract Vervain.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 450 meters east northeast to the original homestead location. 39.8947°N, 105.2584°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1908 m. Collected around a concrete foundation, perhaps of a former ranch house.

Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. Canada Thistle.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 450 meters east northeast to the original homestead location. 39.8946°N, 105.2584°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1916 m.

Medicago sativa L. Alfalfa.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 450 meters east northeast to a location just southeast of the original homestead. 39.8944°N, 105.258°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1915 m.

Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. Yellow Sweet Clover.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on CO Highway 72 from CO Highway 93, 1.4 miles north on Plainview Road, then 450 meters east northeast to a location just southeast of the original homestead. 39.8943°N, 105.258°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1916 m.

Erythranthe floribunda (Douglas ex Lindl.) G. L. Nesom. Many Flowered Monkey Flower.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8872°N, 105.2572°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Margins of calyx teeth glandular-pubescent. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Coll. No. 1688, 28 June 2017, characters observed: Annual, to 45 mm.; Stems, gland-tipped hairs; Leaves, cauline, opposite, petiole, an indistinct 0.4-0.7 mm. to a distinct 1.5 mm., blade, 8 mm. × 4.5 mm. wide, palmately veined, margin, entire to few-toothed; Calyx, tube 3.5 mm., + lobes 0.5 mm., uppermost lobe not longer, more like bottom two lobes are shorter, margins sparsely ciliate; Pedicels, 15-16 mm., glandular; Corolla, 6 mm. × 2 mm. dia., throat open, lobes, 1 mm., upper lobe ±=others, limb 3.7 mm., yellow.

Crassula aquatica (L.) Schoenl. Water Pygmy Weed.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8874°N, 105.2567°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Coll. No. 1689, 28 June 2017, characters observed: Annual, to 22 mm.; Stem, rooting, ascending; Leaves, cauline, opposite, bases conjoined, 4 mm. × 0.5 mm. wide; Flowers, borne singly in axils; Petals, #4, 1 mm. × 1.2 mm. wide; Seeds, #12, 0.4 mm., oblong, lines longitudinal.

Phemeranthus parviflorus (Nutt.) Kiger. Sunbright.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8874°N, 105.2567°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Literature Cited:
- Simpson, Michael G., C. Matt Guilliams, Kristin E. Hasenstab-Lehman, Makenzie E. Mabry, & Lee Ripma, 2017.
Coll. No. 1689.2, Plagiobothrys scouleri  

Plagiobothrys scouleri (Hook. & Arn.) I.M. Johnst. var. hispidulus (Greene) Dorn. Scouler's Popcornflower.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8874°N, 105.2567°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Other articles: Field Notes Coll. No. 1917, 3 Jun 2018
Inflorescence of Coll. No. 1689.3, Alopecurus carolinianus
Coll. No. 1689.3, Alopecurus carolinianus  

Coll. No. 1689.3, Alopecurus carolinianus

Alopecurus carolinianus Walter. Carolina Foxtail.
   Det. by Janet Wingate, 1/24/2018.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8874°N, 105.2567°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Juncus bufonius L. Toad Rush.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8874°N, 105.2567°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Veronica peregrina L. ssp. xalapensis (Kunth) Pennell. Neckweed.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8874°N, 105.2567°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Limosella aquatica L. Water Mudwort.

Ranson/Edwards Homestead Open Space Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. High plains above Rocky Flats, 1.7 miles west on Colorado Highway 72 from Colorado Highway 93, 1.0 mile north on Plainview Road, then 350 m. east to a terrace overlooking Coal Creek. 39.8874°N, 105.2567°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1926 m. Muddy flat with sheet flow water.

Thursday, June 29th

Locations: North Table Mountain Park.  

Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm. Buffalo Grass.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. North side of North Table Mountain, in short vegetation on road to Table Rock water tank, 3.6 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7882°N, 105.2219°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1836 m.

Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve. Western Wheatgrass.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. North side of North Table Mountain, in short vegetation on road to Table Rock water tank, 3.6 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7882°N, 105.2218°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1850 m.

Coll. No. 1691, 28 Jun 2017, characters observed: Perennial grass, to 75 cm., rhizomes, not seen; Leaves, ligule, short membraneous, auricles, 0, blade revolute; Inflorescence, bilateral spike; Rachis, internodes 6 mm.; Spikelets, 17 mm. × 10 mm. wide × 2 mm., not in capitate clusters, 1 per node, not oriented edgewise to rachis; Glumes, < lowest floret, narrowly lanceolate, slightly asymmetric, lower, 9.5 mm., upper, 10.6 mm.; Florets, #6±; Lemma, 11 mm., awns, 0; Palea, 9 mm.; Anthers, 4.5 mm.

Nassella viridula (Trin.) Barkworth. Green Needlegrass.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Northwest quadrant of North Table Mountain, interior canyon, below Mesa Top trail, 3.4 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden 39.786°N, 105.222°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1894 m. West-facing hillslope, open grassy vegetation, non-rhizomatous.

Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve. Western Wheatgrass.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Rocky Mountain Front Range, northwest quadrant of North Table Mountain, interior canyon, below Mesa Top trail, 3.4 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden 39.786°N, 105.222°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1897 m. Tight, compact head, rhizomatous. Same as Coll. No. 1691, but this one is clearly rhizomatous.

Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. Yellow Sweet Clover.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Rocky Mountain Front Range, northwest quadrant of North Table Mountain, a lava-capped mesa of Denver Formation, along the side of Mesa Top Trail also the road to the radio towers, 3.3 km. north of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7848°N, 105.2188°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1933 m.

Eriogonum arcuatum Greene. Baker's Buckwheat.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Rocky Mountain Front Range, northwest quadrant of North Table Mountain, a lava-capped mesa of Denver Formation, 210 m. east of radio tower, 3.3 km. north northeast of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7846°N, 105.2135°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1974 m. Rooted in thin soils and fractures of exposed caprock of mesa.

Limosella aquatica L. Water Mudwort.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Rocky Mountain Front Range, center of North Table Mountain, a lava-capped mesa of Denver Formation, along Tilting Mesa Trail near Mesa Top Trail, 3.3 km. north northeast of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7853°N, 105.2111°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1969 m. Drying muddy watercourse with Erythranthe sp. and Plagiobothrys scouleri.

Monarda fistulosa L. Wild Bergamot.

North Table Mountain Park, Jefferson County, Colorado. Rocky Mountain Front Range, north slope of North Table Mountain, a lava-capped mesa of Denver Formation, just below the rim, 3.7 km north northeast of the GNIS location of Golden. 39.7878°N, 105.2111°W. WGS 1984 Elev. 1961 m.

[Home Page] [Site Map]

Date and time this article was prepared: 11/21/2019 3:59:49 PM