Alpine. Tundra. Summer.
LaPlata Mountains, August 20, 2009 and
Sharkstooth Trail, August 24, 2011.

Fall color makes these tiny plants far more visible than when they have their normal cloak of summer green, but even before fall color attracts our attention, we might be attracted by the numerous seed heads (catkins) that follow a summer of good growing conditions.  Notice the puffs of white that dot the mass of Salix nivalis; the catkins have exploded and the fluff that carries the seeds on fall winds is ready for dispersal.