Flower, usually solitary, is shaped like a Dutch shoe about 2 inches long. The sac-like toe part, formed by one of the 3 petals, is bright yellow with greenish sheen, the other 2 petals, much narrower, extend to the sides and are often twisted and streaked with brown. Plant is about 10 inches tall, with broad lance-shaped green leaves which enclose the lower part of the flower stem. Grows on moist but not wet slopes in montane zone. June.
In not too open aspen glades in middle elevations, a privileged seeker after beauty may find this yellow lady’s slipper, largest of our native orchids. It is one of several species of Cypripedium (the name meaning shoe of Venus) and is sometimes called moccasin flower. A smaller, daintier orchid, the pink Calypso bulbosa, is more widely known. This latter likes half sunny edges of our lodgepole forests, being quite dependent on the humic acid of the needles. Often in large groups along the remnants of a decayed tree trunk, they make an entrancing sight, resembling fairy dancers. These are but two of about a dozen orchids that grow wild in Colorado.
Four o’Clock Family
Prairie Snowball, Abronia fragrans, NUTT.
Individual flowers are formed of a slender calyx tube, 1 inch long, flaring at its mouth into 5 white, petal-like lobes to make a tiny salver ¼ inch across. They have no true petals. Numerous such flowers are clustered to form the surface of a ball about 2 inches in diameter. Plant has reddish stems, somewhat hairy, that creep on the ground, with fleshy (succulent) green leaves arranged in opposite pairs. Grows in plains on sandy soil. Blooms May-June.
Every plains child knows the prairie snowball—inhabitant of vacant lots in towns, and of dry wind blown flats “in the country.” The cluster of starry flowers is indeed round as a snowball and as white—the dark green leaves are in sharp contrast with the bright red stems. The fragrance, almost cloying it is so sweet, perfumes the air of early summer, especially as evening coolness comes. The reddish-purple sand verbena of the southwestern deserts and coastal sand dunes, Abronia villosa, is also of this genus. The resemblances are quite apparent.
Buckwheat Family
Sulphur Flower, Eriogonum umbellatum, TORR.
Numerous flowers, each formed of 6 minute yellow perianth segments, are grouped in round tight clusters at the ends of slender pedicels, several such clusters radiating to form a flat-topped head (umbel) 4 inches across. These heads are borne on erect hairy leafless stems (scapes), 8 to 15 inches tall. Oblong leaves about 1½ inches long, form a green mat on the ground. Grows on open dry slopes of foothills and lower mountains. Blooms June-September.
Many Species of Eriogonum are found in Colorado, some of them resembling the one pictured, and some with very different growth habits. This common sulphur flower is one of the finest. Even in bud it is brilliant, for the gold of its flowers, often touched with red, shows before it is quite open. The soft sulphur yellow of the mature flowers gradually changes to shades of orange, maroon and brown as they dry rather than fade. They linger on their stems indefinitely and are fine to mix with grasses and seed pods for a fall bouquet—they might even trim an autumn hat!