Upper montane, sub-alpine, alpine.  Moist areas. Summer.
Road to Spiller/Helmet Ridge, July 11, 2006.

This is a very uncommon plant in Colorado and few people get to see it.  My wife found it as we were exploring along an old mining road in the La Platas.

Adoxaceae has jut two genera world-wide, Adoxa and Sinadoxa and only three species: Adoxa moschatellina, which is circumboreal and is found in eleven states (rare in seven of these), and Adoxa omeinensis and Sinadoxa corydalifolia which were found in the latter part of the 20th century in China.

Linnaeus named this genus and species in 1753.  "Adoxa" is Greek for "without glory" and "mosch" is Greek for "musk".  Add the diminutive "ellina" and altogether the name means "the humble, inconspicuous, musky smelling plant".

Upper montane, sub-alpine, alpine.  Moist areas. Summer.
Road to Spiller/Helmet Ridge, June 19, 2007.

Five green/white flowers are arranged in a box-shaped terminal cluster: there is one flower at the top and immediately below this flower are four flowers, each facing outward on a different side of the box.  Here is how William Weber describes the flowers of this plant:  "The inflorescence is unique.  The terminal flower has a 2-lobed calyx (bracts?) [which cannot be seen in the photograph] a 4-lobed greenish corolla, and 4 stamens alternating with the lobes.  The filaments are deeply divided, giving the impression of 8 stamens.  The lateral flowers ... have a 3-lobed calyx [which cannot be seen in the photograph], a 5-lobed, greenish corolla, and 5 (looking like 10) stamens.  The ovary is half inferior, of 3-4 united carpels."

Upper montane, sub-alpine, alpine.  Moist areas. Summer.
Road to Spiller/Helmet Ridge, July 11, 2006.

Upper montane, sub-alpine, alpine.  Moist areas. Summer.
Road to Spiller/Helmet Ridge, July 11, 2006.