Foothills, montane. Disturbed areas, meadows. Summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 12, 2005.

Linaria genistifolia typically grows in a mass, three or four feet tall.  Flowers are numerous along stout vertical stems above thick, clasping, ovate leaves.  Linaria genistifolia is a recent, and unfortunately successful, invader of the dry areas of the Four Corners.  It is a close relative of Linaria vulgaris, below.   The two species of Linaria hybridize.

"Linaria" is for the resemblance of the leaves to those of Linum (flax) and "genistifolia" is apparently from the Latin for "a kind of broom plant". "Vulgaris" means "common".  "Dalmatica" refers to the Dalmatia region of southeast Europe.

This species was first named Antirrhinum dalmaticum by Linnaeus in 1753, was renamed Linaria dalmatica by Miller in 1768, and in 1908 was named Linaria genistifolia subspecies dalmatica by Maire et al.

Foothills, montane. Disturbed areas, meadows. Summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 12, 2005.

Foothills, montane. Disturbed areas, meadows. Summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 12, 2005.

Yellow and gold; butter and eggs.

Foothills, montane. Disturbed areas, meadows. Summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 12, 2005.

Occasionally growing tips are afflicted with abnormal cells which explode the terminal flower.

Foothills, montane. Disturbed areas, meadows. Summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 12, 2005.

Emerging seeds are typical of those of the Snapdragon Family.

Foothills, montane. Disturbed areas, meadows. Summer.

Piedra River Canyon, August 20, 2005.

another noxious weed that is . 

This is unfortunately a well-established noxious weed and a common sight in vacant lots, along roadsides, and occasionally in mountain meadows.  It is a remnant of the mining towns whose residents often planted this hardy Snapdragon to brighten their yards with its abundant, long-lasting flowers.  Linaria vulgaris hybridizes with Linaria genistifolia (see above).  Linaria vulgaris grows less than a meter tall, has narrow leaves, and its common name comes from its flowers which have orange (eggs) accompanying the yellow (butter).

Foothills, montane. Disturbed areas, meadows. Summer.
Piedra River Canyon, August 20, 2005.

Linaria vulgaris flowers are lovely shades of yellow and orange in a strangely upright posture as if the flower were some kind of creature standing on its hind legs sniffing the breezes.