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Arnica
parryi (Arnica) Montane,
subalpine. Woodland openings, meadows. Summer. This rayless Arnica generally grows at medium-to-high montane elevations, but it rarely reaches the alpine zone. It does not usually grow as densely as Arnica cordifolia and Arnica mollis but it does grow in patches of many dozens of plants -- as well as in small scattered patches. It grows to a very slim 20 inches tall, has nodding flower buds, erect or nodding flowers, clustered basal leaves, up to four pairs of shorter stem leaves, and phyllaries edged in purple. (The phyllaries are the hairy, green, cup-shaped enclosure below the golden flower.) This species was first collected by Charles Parry, eminent 19th century Colorado botanist, in Clear Creek, Colorado in the early 1860s and was named for Parry in 1864 by Asa Gray. (More biographical information.) The word "Arnica" means "lamb's skin," and probably refers to the downy soft leaves. |
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Arnica
parryi (Arnica) Montane,
subalpine. Woodland openings, meadows. Summer. Flower heads consist of dozens of tightly packed tubular flowers. Fall leaf color is a very subtle charcoal to light gray-maroon. |
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Arnica rydbergii
(Arnica) Subalpine, alpine. Rocks. Summer. Found isolated or in scattered patches, this bright yellow Arnica prefers subalpine and alpine rocky areas. Few pairs of widely spaced stem leaves can be slightly serrated. Basal leaves are clustered and usually have petioles. As the photograph indicates, stems can start off at an angle and then gradually turn vertical. The species name was given in 1899 by Edward Greene to honor Per Axel Rydberg, a giant in Colorado botany, and a major influence on Bill Weber, the present-day Colorado plant authority. Rydberg wrote Flora of the Rocky Mountains and Adjacent Plains in 1917. (More biographical information about Rydberg.) |
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Arnica rydbergii
(Arnica) Subalpine, alpine. Rocks. Summer. Phyllaries are narrow, pointed and often red at the tip, lightly hairy, and in one row. Ray flowers (what most of us call the petals) usually number around 7-12. The second photograph shows the bright white pappus hairs that are attached to the top of the white seed. Both the ray flowers and the disk flowers have these hairs, which, in the case of A. rydbergii, are barbed all along their length. The barbs can be seen with a 10x hand lens -- a tool which opens up a huge world of wonder not visible to our unassisted eyes. |
Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
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Range map for Arnica parryi
Range map for Arnica rydbergia |
Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state
Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Eradicated
Questionable presence
