Cryptanthas are lovely plants with an abundance of tiny flowers, hairy leaves very evident in early spring, and persisting dried flower stalks. 

     The Cryptantha and Oreocarya genera are quite similar in appearance and characteristics.  In 1927 Edwin Payson moved many Oreocaryas to the Cryptantha genus and most botanists accept this classification; Colorado plant authority William Weber does not and retains the Oreocarya designation for most species in the Four Corners area.  Weber separates the two genera as follows:

     Oreocarya: "Biennial or perennial from rosettes of basal leaves; flowers more than 5 mm in diameter, often distinctly long-tubular with prominent yellow eye."

     Cryptantha: "Annual without rosettes of basal leaves; flowers minute, less than 5 mm diameter, short-tubed with inconspicuous eye."

    Whatever the genus name, it is difficult to determine the exact species; often the distinguishing characteristic is the shape and markings of the tiny nutlet, observable only with a hand lens or microscope. 

     "Oreos" is Greek for "mountain" and "caryum" is Greek for "nut".

     "Cryptantha" is Greek for "hidden flower" and probably refers to the very small size of the flower.

     The Cryptantha genus was named by Lehman in 1837 and the Oreocarya genus was named by Edward Greene in 1887.

     This web site, following the nomenclature of John Kartesz, recognizes just the one genus, Cryptantha.

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