bristlecone's Identifications

Western aster often grows in areas with a relatively high cover of non-native plant species, which is an indication of the predilection of this native species to sites that have a history of regular disturbance. This site lies along the Beaver Creek drainage north of the main ranch house, Crazy D Ranch, Sweet Grass County, Montana.

Buttecandle often grows as single leafy rosettes before flowering during the following summer. Rosettes of oblanceolate coarse-hairy gray green leaves are distinguishing of this species. Most other perennial Cryptantha species produce multiple bunched rosettes, which indicates the relatively simple unbranched caudex of Cryptantha celosoides. Also, buttecandle is most abundant on rocky slopes and outcrops where vegetation cover is low. Although buttecandle is a biennial to short lived perennial, sometimes populations such as this one can flower over two to three summers and fruiting stems can abscise by late summer leaving an intact leafy rosette.

Broom snakeweed growing near a seep and in an area that is relatively disturbed by livestock grazing compared to the upland drier sites. This site lies towards the eastern side of the Crazy D Ranch, Sweet Grass County, Montana.

Stiff sunflower growing on the dry steep and somewhat unstable slopes immediately above Beaver Creek, north of the main ranch house, Crazy D Ranch, Sweet Grass County, Montana. The rigid stems and open dry site habitat that is somewhat regularly disturbed are distinction of this species.

Canada goldenrod growing in wet meadows along Beaver Creek, north of the main ranch house, Crazy D Ranch, Sweet Grass County, Montana. The rhizomatous spreading growth habit and hairy stems in the region of the inflorescence are diagnostic of this goldenrod species.