This summer has been busy. We’ve made nature trips to the Yaak, Seeley/Swan, skirted the Scapegoat Wilderness north of Lincoln, Yellowstone NP, the Oregon Coast, and today we went into the hills above and to the south of Georgetown Lake. This summer has been about getting out a bit farther afield. Montana has so much to offer.
Today’s field trip to the area above and to the south of Georgetown Lake – from the Storm Lake drainage to the East Fork Reservoir was full of plant life. Today we added at least one species of Moonwort – almost certainly Common Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria). We added a new species of Gentian- Explorer’s Gentian – Gentiana calycosa. Found a nice Northern Green Orchid – Platanthera aquilonis, and a small patch of One-side Wintergreen – Orthilia secunda. All in all, this was a terrific Saturday in August. Cool weather, smokeless skies, new species of plants and a really nice Montana day trip.
Finding Moonworts was the goal of this outing. I only recently learned a little about them and, after a discussion with my wildlflowering pal, we decided to make that the focus of this effort.
Seeing them in decent numbers (at least 30 in one stretch of habitat) was a special reward given how easily they blend in to the understory. Adding both the Explorer’s Gentian and the Northern Green Orchid in one outing made this a real success story for Montana mid-summer botany.
I hope you’re all getting out and enjoying what we have!
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