Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Parry's Townsendia

This was one of the reasons I decided to go on the Picklejar Lakes hike two days ago. Though I had seen this flower once before (on a different mountain top!), I really hoped to see one again. My photos of it were disappointing, but I thought I would still post a macro shot as a reminder to myself of the thrill of seeing one (actually two) again. At a very quick glance, you might think you were looking at "just" another purple and yellow Fleabane. Another plant that I was really hoping to see was the Orange False-dandelion - and it was exciting to see a number of them, usually looking most unphotogenic, ha. We even saw a new wild orchid up there - the Bog Candle - which has a wonderful scent. Parry's Townsendia is an uncommon, native wildflower and belongs to the Asteraceae family. It blooms July-August on dry hillsides and grassy slopes. The flower head is 5-7 cms across. The achene (fruit) is a pappus of long, soft bristles, just as attractive (in my opinion) than the actual flower.

Yes, I survived the full-day hike yesterday, though my body isn't moving quite like it should today, LOL. The scenery was spectacular and the wildflowers just wonderful. Two of us were taken to this trail by a friend who had been there a handful of times before. Both guys have had a lifetime of walking and hiking - and then there was me, LOL. However, we were stopping constantly to search for plants, record them and photograph them, so it was not a brisk-walking hike, thank goodness, otherwise I wouldn't have gone. Lost count of the number of times I glanced at the mountain sides to check that there were no Grizzly Bears in sight, though one had been along our trail at one point, turning over large rocks to see what was underneath. Thanks, David, for sharing this special place with us, and thanks for your patience with a slower walker : ) I SURVIVED!! Thanks, too, for finding the only Parry's Townsendia for us - I was thrilled to bits with this, as I had never seen one before. The flower in my photo is way past its best, but I still love it. The setting was perfect, too, surrounded by rocks and Lichens and other wildflowers. We were astounded by the number of Long-bracted Orchids there were everywhere, including at the top of this mountain ridge. Parry's Townsendia is a native wildflower that grows July-August on dry hillsides and grassy slopes. The flower head is 5-7 cms across. The achene (fruit) is a pappus of long, soft bristles, more attractive (in my opinion) than the actual flower (which looks rather like a Fleabane).