Wyoming wildflowers

[cnycharles]

even though it's pretty dry across the country right now, there were a surprising number of wildflowers in bloom in jackson hole and bondurant/hoback and nearby valleys. I took lots of snapshots of everything since I left my tripod in my car back in nj (would have cost me what it was worth to carry it on the plane(s) )

lovely lupines! these are native to wyoming, and wonderfully fragrant

pinedrops. this was the first thing I saw when I went into the woods
near teton village. there were quite a few of these very tall, robust
and parasitic plants. they are quite rare in ny state, but don't think
they are rare in wyoming

the wyoming thistle is more colorful than the similar one found
in new york state

this isn't really a wildflower but a dried grass found along many of
the roads around bondurant

more in next window

 

[cnycharles]

part two

fireweed

harebell; beautiful, but a pretty tough wildflower

 

[cnycharles]

part three

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Looks like a great trip Charles. I love western wildflowers and what a setting to see them in!

 

[Hera]

Thanks Charles. I enjoyed the pics.

 

[Dido]

Nice flowers

 

[SlipperFan]

Love the dried grass photo, especially.

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

Really enjoyed your photo tour Charles. :clap:

 

[biothanasis]

Nicely captured wildflowers!!! I like pinedrops and the red one (last photos..).

 

[Ruth]

Love the photos!!

 

[Clark]

Great stuff!
Always got a little nervous hiking out there...

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Great stuff!
Always got a little nervous hiking out there...

How come Clark? Too many wild tourists with rifles? :rollhappy:

Seriously, the backcountry of the west can be interesting to navigate. I always think about the mountain men that dared travel there back in the day when grizzles ranged everywhere and native peoples weren't necessarily happy to see you. Never mind the wild weather in the mountains...

Which brings me to a story (yawn time?). I walked alone up a "small" peak near Bozeman, MT one afternoon - a fairly easy hike on the map, but no trails to is 8,000 ft peak. Halfway up I had to go through a patch of thick fir forest. I was pushing it hard since the sun was waning and suddenly realized I wasn't alone anymore...I had walked directly into a small herd of bedding elk. Just ahead, I heard tell tale sounds that made me most unhappy - stomping of hooves and snorting - a massive bull flashing his horns. I had walked into his harem and it was rutting season. Bad idea!

I about peed myself. All I had was a small backpack with a camera, some snacks and water. Thank god for all the trees - in the end they saved me. I positioned myself behind one (relative to the bull) and eventually they all got up and ran off, but not before making a big fuss. Clearly they weren't happy! I'm sure glad they figured I was yet another madman with a gun, otherwise I might have been human jerky!

 

[cnycharles]

Love the dried grass photo, especially.

thanks, all. I liked the grass as did my fellow greenhorn nyc sister and brother, but my older sister told me recently that the grass is invasive, and has seeds that can get into a cow's mouth and cause infection. there's frequently a catch to any nicely-seeming thing (just like those yellow ladyslippers causing a rash)

 

[Clark]

In my travels, everytime we go to the other side of the Mississippi R., I fell like we are part of the food chain, when we lose sight of the automobile.
Wish we were packing some heat on some of those walks.

Started hunting at 11 years old with a gun, never felt in danger.

 

[physiognomy]

thanks, all. I liked the grass as did my fellow greenhorn nyc sister and brother, but my older sister told me recently that the grass is invasive, and has seeds that can get into a cow's mouth and cause infection. there's frequently a catch to any nicely-seeming thing (just like those yellow ladyslippers causing a rash)

I don't like doing grass IDs from pictures, but it looks very much like Hordeum jubatum or Foxtail barley. It is a native species that often grows in disturbed areas like roadsides, etc. This species is good forage for livestock & big game up to flowering time, but once the seed heads form, it is harmful to all kinds of grazing animals.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HOJU

 

[eaborne]

Beautiful pictures!

 

[Leo_5313]

Love the pics!

 

[Hien]

Beautiful photos , thanks for posting.
Would it be nice if we just have the right size of lawns for whatever we need , an organic vegetable garden with fruit trees & the rest of the land is like what in these photos, instead of spending time mowing lawns, put tons of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides that leaching out into our water source that will give us cancers & other illness .

 

[Clark]

I smile the entire time mowing my lawn.