Near the Spring equinox, the first wildflowers began to appear, spotted while out on area hikes.    The first “wildflowers” spotted were the psuedo-flowers of Puccinia monoica.    This is a parasitic rust fungus that inhabits a host plant (usually a boechera), suppresses the plants natural flowering processes, and transforms the host with its own morphology, pseudo-flowers, there to attract pollinators who will spread the spores to more host plants.    Shortly afterwards, there were many sagebrush buttercups (Ranunculus glaberrimus) emerging all at once in open sheltered spots in the grasslands/open forests above the valley.

A few days later, the first yellow bells (Fritillaria pudica) emerged on sagebrush slopes.    Upland larkspur leaves were well-developed and flowering will come in the next weeks.     Some of the early mustard varieties were just starting to bud.   All photos by the author from this year’s spring hikes.    Click and image for a lightbox view and a caption/ID/comment.

emerging sagebrush buttercups on Rose Hill

Puccinia monoica pseudoflowers

yellow bells (turning red as it ages)

upland larkspur leaves on Mara Mountain

yellowbells on Mara Mountain slopes

an emerging mustard

There are other wildflowers in bloom too and with each new hike, I hope to spot, photograph, identify, and share them.

More Information:

• Sagebrush buttercups
• Yellow bells
• Upland larkspur