All notes and guides evolve as I learn more.

Identification Notes

These are quick memory aids and ready made comments to explain IDs.

Berberis repens: Berberis repens is a low lying plant with 3-7 dull leaflets that have toothed margins. It has yellow flowers and blue fruit. It is commonly confused with Berberis aquifolium due to similar appearance. B. aquifolium is a shrub (so usually taller than B. repens), has 5-9 shiny leaflets with more pointed tips. https://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=PDBER060E0; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/116791883
Frasera speciosa: Greenish flowers have 4 lobes and may have purple spots or streaks. They grow on a single stalk that can reach 5-6 feet high. When no stalk is present, the plant has rosette of large, narrow, smooth, keeled leaves with deep central vein. When flowers aren’t blooming can be confused with 2 species: Veratrum californicum leaves have deep parallel veins; Verbascum thapsus has hairy leaves. https://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Brown%20Green%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/frasera%20speciosa.htm
Veronica wyomingensis lacks petals and has conspicuous purple stamens. V. wyomingensis: https://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=PDSCR09070. Phacelia sericea has dense spikes of purple flowers and larger, pinnately-divided leaves. The stamens of the P. sericea extend past it’s petals (corolla). P. sericea: https://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=PDHYD0C4A0
Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush) - the most common sagebrush of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem has shallow lobed (with 3 tips), fan-shaped grey-green leaves. It has a distinctive central trunk and generally grows 2-5 feet high. Flower spikes rise above the crown of branches. Montana FWP. In the GYE, the species most likely to be confused with A. tridentata is A. arbuscula. A. arbuscula or low sagebrush also has leaves with 3 lobes; lobes may be shallow or deep (with deep lobes suggesting arbuscula). It lacks an apparent trunk and is generally less than 2 feet tall. USFS. Observing for ID purposes: photograph the entire shrub to show growth habit and scale. Leaf shape can vary on a given plant (flowering stems vs vegetative branches), so look and capture leaf definition from these different locations. The Sagebrush pocket guide provides additional information on sagebrush, including additional methods of ID and how to distinguish subspecies.

Identification Guides

For guides, I have attempted to review the species that are within range for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for the genera listed. I have created comments for the most common species, but more are described within the guide.

Geranium Guide

Geranium richardsonii: White (sometimes pale pink) petals that have purple veins. Awn tipped sepals, shorter than the petals, may be seen between the petals. Stems are covered with glandular hairs. G. richardsonii only has hairs on the veins on the lower side of its leaves, unlike G. viscosissimum, which has leaves that are hairy all over. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/144298/journal/72776
Geranium viscosissimum: Pink to purple petals and red to purple veins. Sepals are only visible from below and end in short bristle (awn). Stems and leaves are covered with sticky hairs all over. G. richardsonii can also have pale pink flowers, but only has hairs on the veins on the lower side of its leaves. In G. richardsonii, you can also see the awns from the top of the flower. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/144298/journal/72776

Gentianopsis - Fringed Gentians Guide

Gentianopsis thermalis: Fringed petals/corolla lobes, widest at apex, overlap to create square opening, or spiral arrangement when closed. May have purple vein on calyx; multiple stems. Frequently located near thermal features. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/144298/journal/72726
Gentianopsis out of range: Review ranges for Gentianopsis in the US at BONAP: http://bonap.net/Napa/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Gentianopsis

Gentiana - Gentians Guide

Gentiana affinis: Distinguished from G. calycosa by slender leaves near the flower head and having more than one flower per stem. Both have similar shaped blue flowers and may have light spots. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/144298/journal/71125
Gentiana calycosa: Distinguished from G. affinis by ovate leaves and only having 1 flower per stem. Both have similar shaped blue flowers and may have light spots. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/144298/journal/71125

Pinaceae - Pine Family (excluding Pines)

Picea - Spruces - sharp needles attached with woody pegs. Engelmanni has shorter cones and more rounded needles when compared with pungens. The needles of pungens are frequently at a 90 degree angle to the twig, where engelmanni needles are at 45 degrees to the twig. https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/74981
Abies lasiocarpa - Conical growth habit. Dark purple, cylindrical cones grow up from branches. Flat needles are glaucous green above with a broad stripe of stomata, and two blue-white stomatal bands below. The needles curve toward the opposite side of the twig. Bark often has many irregular horizontal lines https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/74981
Pseudotsuga menziesii - Flat needles, attached by petiole. Seed cones contain distinctive bracts with 3 points. Yellow-red pollen cones. Sharp pointed buds. Bark of mature trees has longitudinal fissures. https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/74981

Pinus - Pine Trees Guide

Pinus contorta: Lodgepole is the dominant tree of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. They have 2 needles per fascicle. Seed cones start green and mature to brown, then become very dark (almost black). When closed, they have a conical shape. Then they open to a short asymmetrical egg and tend to hang onto the branches for a while. Bark is grey and scaly on mature trees. They can be tall and narrow and grow in dense stands. https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/73712
Pinus albicaulis: Whitebark pine is found at high elevations. It has 5 needles per fascicle and bright scarlet pollen cones. It’s dark purple seed cones lighten as they mature, and are usually eaten by Clark’s Nutcrackers. You may see no cones, but may find parts of cones at the base of the tree. https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/73712
Pinus flexilis: Limber pine is found at mid-to-high elevations. It has 5 needles per fascicle and yellow to amber pollen cones. Cones are larger than white pine, starting as green and maturing to light brown. They can frequently be found at the base of the tree. https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/73712
Section Quinquefoliae: White Pines have 5 needles and includes whitebark and limber. These are most easily distinguished by noting pollen and seed cones when possible. https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/73712

Campanula Rotundifolia Complex - Harebells Guide

Harebell Complex: Harebell species in this area are currently being evaluated for a taxon split. Information on how to treat this split in the United States is currently limited. Marking “as good as it can be” for now. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/144298/journal/73094