Rocky Mountain spring-beauty
Claytonia rosea Rydb.
Claytonia rosea, known as Rocky Mountain spring-beauty, is a small spring-blooming plant in the Montiaceae family. It is native to Arizona, Colorado, Mexico Northeast, New Mexico, and Utah. This species is distinguished by its pale pink to magenta flowers and grows in dry meadows and moist mountain slopes. It is among the earliest wildflowers to bloom in spring.
Description
Claytonia rosea, a member of the genus Claytonia, is a spring ephemeral with a small tuberous root. It is found in dry meadows within ponderosa and Chihuahuan pine forests, as well as on moist mountain ledges. Its range includes the Beaver Dam Mountains in Utah, the Colorado Front Range, the Sierra Madre Occidental, and the Sierra Maderas del Carmen in Coahuila. The plant is one of the first to bloom in spring, with flowers ranging from pale pink to magenta.
Other common names
Rocky Mountain spring-beautywestern springbeauty
Distribution
Arizona · Colorado · Mexico Northeast · New Mexico · Utah
Synonyms
Claytonia lanceolata var. rosea