New stars

When a species of wildflower begins its blooming season, the first few to bloom are usually not as large and lush as some that bloom later. The Woodland-stars have been blooming now for some time and are near the end of their season, but there are some prime specimens in bloom now. I want to add a couple more views of them before they are finished for this year.

Smallflower Woodland-star

(Lithophragma parviflorum, Saxifrage family)

Rock Clematis

Clematis columbiana, (Buttercup family) is another wildflower found only  in the western states of AZ, CO, ID, MT, ND, NM, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, and WY. The blossoms grow on long vines which will often climb quite high onto the brush, and, when open, appear to look like bright blue birds flying through the forest, as in the last photo. 

These were found along the Munson Creek trail (USFS trail 372) within the TeePee/Spring Creek roadless area in western Montana’s Cabinet Mountains.