More May flowers

These are the rest of the wildflowers that I was able to photograph during May. Late rains have slowed down the bloom, but it looks like June will be a good month for flowers.

Meadowrue ~ Thalictrum occidentale

Field Pussytoes ~ Antennaria neglecta

Bog Saxifrage ~ Micranthes oregana

This is a rather unusual member of the saxifrage family, but rather interesting because of the colors.

Upland Larkspur ~ Delphinium nuttallianum

Shooting Star ~ Dodecatheon pulchellum

Indian Paintbrush ~ Castillleja miniata

Wild Violets ~ Viola Adunca

Lanceleaf Springbeauty ~ Claytonia lanceolata

Fairy Slipper ~ Calypso Bulbosa

Probably the prettiest of the wild orchids in this region.

Elegant Cats-ear, Northwestern Mariposa Lily ~ Calochortus elegans

It’s a little unusual to see these in multiples.

Bitterroot ~ Lewisia rediviva

The Bitterroot is the state flower of Montana. It was cherished by the indigenous people for its roots.

Northern Cinquefoil, Villous Cinquefoil ~ Potentilla villosa

May flowers

For several reasons (not to be considered adequate excuses) I have not posted many of the flowers that have bloomed in May this year. I will try to catch up a bit.

False Solomon’s Seal ~ Smilacina racemosa

Field Chickweed ~ Cerastium arvense

Heart leaf Arnica~ Arnica cordifolia

Rusty Saxifrage ~ Micranthes ferruginea

Ballhead Waterleaf ~ Hydrophyllum capitatum

Several photos of the Waterleaf have been included because it is rather special to me. I have encountered it in only two locations in all of my wanderings, these growing along an old logging road that runs below Big Hole Peak at an elevation of about 5,200 feet. It’s in a rather secluded location and few people around here ever get to see it.

 

Today’s wildflower finds

This afternoon it seemed to me that I ought to check the area of West Swamp Creek (about 20 miles to the southwest of my home). Sure enough, there were several species blooming there in profusion and I was glad that I paid attention to my hunch.

Small White Violet ~ Viola macloskeyi

Both the white and yellow violets are growing right in the water of a small spring fed stream, which makes photographing them a rather wet and messy endeavor, but that’s alright because it is now warm!

Pioneer Violet ~ Viola glabella

Alpine Springbeauty ~ Claytonia megarhiza

Glacier Lily ~ Erythronium grandiflorum

Shooting Star ~ Dodecatheon pulchellum

Small Bluebells ~ Mertensia longiflora

Slender Phlox ~ Microsteris gracilis

Finally!

Spring has finally come to this part of western Montana and the first wildflowers are now starting to bloom. Everything here is about a month late this year.

Woodland Star ~ Lithophragma glabrum

Sagebrush Buttercup ~ Ranunculus glaberrimus

White Trillium ~ Trillium ovatum

Yellow Glacier Lily ~ Erythronium grandiflorum

Pipsissewa

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Pisissewa, Prince-of-Pine ~ chimaphilia umbellata

Blooming in July and August, Pipsissewa flowers are in clusters of 3 to 10 at the top of its stem, but the flowers always face down toward the earth. It is common across most of the northern US and Canada, but because the flowers always face down I suspect they are often overlooked.

A new one for me

This tiny flower is a new one for me. I know I must have seen it out of the corner of my eye hundreds of times but it’s so small that I just didn’t look really closely at it. The little cluster of blossoms could easily hide behind a small pea, and it seems to like to grow beneath taller plants. This is another “mustache in the dirt” shot.

Enchanter’s Nightshade ~ circaea alpina