Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii

 "Mouse tails" stick out of cone scales.

 Cones hang downward on branch.

 Cones fall off whole (not in pieces).

 Needles are blunt, flat and flexible.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Engelmann Spruce

Picea engelmannii

 Spruce belt is between 9,500- 11,500 ft. in elevation.

 Spruce cones always hang downward and are located on the top of tree.

 Cones are small, flexible and have papery scales.

 Can grow to 100 ft

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Marsh-Marigold

Caltha leptosepala

 White-petaled flower.

 Yellow stamens.

 All leaves are basal and dark green.

 Located in subalpine regions.

 Found late may to early July.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Pasqueflower

Anemone patens

 No petal, only purple sepals.

 Silky green leaves are mostly basal.

 Found in moist meadows or fields, elevation 4,000-9,000 ft.

 Can grow 2-16 in.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Mountain Candytuft

Noccaea montana

 Small white or lavender flowers in clusters at top of stalk.

 4 petals per flower.

 Mostly basal leaves, may be long and toothed.

  Found in subalpine and alpine ecosystems.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Elephant Head

Pedicularis groenlandica

 Flowers are reddish-purple to pink.

  leaves look like a fern's leaf.

  Located in the Rocky Mountain area, elevation 5,500 ft.

  Can grow 8-24 in.

Plant Index

Pussy Willows

Salix caprea

 New shoots are reddish brown.

 Bare catkins.

 Located near water.

 Considered a small tree or shrub.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Gambel Oak

Quercus gambelii

 Have acorns.

 Bark is grayish, rough and hard.

 Grow in dense thickets.

 Considered tall shrub or small tree.

 A.K.A. Shrub Oak.

Plant Index

Sedge

Carex nebrakensis

 Bluish-green grass-like plants.

 Solid triangular stems.

 Located in wet soils below 9,000 ft.

 Can grow 10-40 in.

Plant Index

Shrubby Cinquefoil

Potentilla fruticosa

 Brown bark that shreds off in long pieces.

 Leaves are green with 3-7 narrow, leathery leaflets.

 Located on hills and plains up to 9,000 ft.

 Can grow 1-5 ft.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Lupine

Lupinus argenteus

  Tall clusters of blue and pink flowers.

  Leaves have 5-9 leaflets.

  Stem is covered with gray hairs.

  Located in montane and subalpine ecosystems.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Squawbush (Skunkbush)

Rhus trilobata

 Hairs on plants result in an unpleasant odor.

 Grow in open forest and slopes.

 3 leaflets, which also have 3 lobes.

 Can grow 2-6 ft.

Plant Index

Wild Raspberry

Rubus parviflorus

 White flowers.

 Leaves have 5 lobes.

 Brown bark found in shreds.

  Can grow 2-6 ft.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Wild Strawberry

Fragaria vesca

 Flowers have 5 white petals.

 Leaves have 3 coarsely toothed leaflets.

 Located in moist soils close to timberline.

 Leaves are basal.

Plant Index| Mesa Field Trip

Dock

Rumex crispus

 Tall mountain plant.

 Found along streams, meadows, and roads.

 Bloom June-August.

 Leaves have wavy edges and small teeth.

 Can grow 1-4 ft.

Plant Index

Scarlet Gilia

Gilia aggregata

 Flowers are brilliant red and trumpet shaped.

 Located in valleys by timberline.

 Can grow 1-3 ft.

Plant Index

Silky Phacella

Phacelia sericea

 Flowers are purple and form dense spikes on end of stem.

 Leaves are basal.

 Found in dry soils up to 6,000 ft.

Plant Index

Grand Mesa Plants Page 1