Tunnel Springs Beardstongue - Penstemon concinnus

 This beautiful little penstemon is Tunnel Springs Beardstongue (Penstemon concinnus). It only grows in Utah and Nevada in gravelly alluvial soils in pinyon/juniper.  The plant is compact, usually not more than 20 cm tall.

For more info about Tunnel Springs beardstongue, click here.

Threepetal Bedstraw - Galium trifidum ssp. columbianum

 This is a tiny plant that grows in wetlands, but it looks much like the larger version that is common, stickywilly or common bedstraw. This is threepetal bedstraw (Galium trifidum ssp. columbianum). It grows in western North America. The plants were only about three-four inches high.

 Flowers have three petals and later a dark fruit will appear.

For more info on threepetal bedstraw from the USDA plants database, click here.

American Yellowrocket- Barbarea othoceras

 The bright yellow flowers of this member of the Mustard Family (Brassicaceae) is found in wetlands and along streams and is called American yellowrocket (Barbarea othoceras). Another common name is American winter cress. It grows in much of western and northern North America.

For more info about American yellowrocket, click here.

Clustered Broomrape - Orobanche fasciculata

This is such a strange looking plant, with no green in it at all. The reason is that it is a parasite, taking its nutrients from a nearby plant in the Asteraceae family. This is common to plants in the Broomrape Family (Orobanchaceae), and this species is clustered broomrape (Orobanche fasciculata). It grows in western states, the Midwest, and much of Canada.

To see the USDA Plants Database entry on clustered broomrape, click here.

Tuber Starwort - Pseudostellaria jamesiana

 This pretty white flower in the Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae) is tuber starwort (Pseudostellaria jamesiana). It grows in several western states. The common name is due to the plant spreading from its underground tubers.

 Leaves are just slightly sticky and very narrow.

For more info on tuber starwort, click here.

Sagebrush Cholla - Grusonia pulchella

I got very excited when I saw a flash of pink and went over to examine it and found this jointed cactus. I believe it's sagebrush cholla (Grusonia pulchella). It grows primarily in Nevada, with a few in Utah and California.

It goes by several other scientific and common names, including sand cholla. I could only find two in the place I walked around. Both were small and indistinct, and I probably would have missed them if it weren't for the flower.

For more info about sagebrush cholla, click on this interesting link.

Prickly Cryptantha - Cryptantha echinella

When I saw this cryptantha, I thought it looked a little different--longer leaves. It turns out the leaves are one of the distinguishing characteristics--they have very long hairs on them, hence the name prickly cryptantha (Cryptantha echinella). This species grows at mid-elevations in Nevada, California, Idaho, and Oregon.

To see the USDA Plants Database page about prickly cryptantha, click here.