Single Record

Participant Info

Species
Veronica alpina [Synthyris alpina] [Besseya alpina]
Family
Scrophulariaceae
CommonName
alpine kittentails
Presence
YES
Status
native
EarliestDate
1904
LatestDate
2019
Ecosystem
montane, subalpine, tundra
Geobotanical
Garitas, SSanjuans, Culebras, NCristos
Counties
Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, Archuleta, San Juan
Passes
Grayback, Gunsight, Music, Stony
WildlifePreserves
Other Localities
Comments
In the Watershed alpine kittentails is a common flower of tundra meadows, in all mountain regions, although also found, infrequently, at lower elevations (e.g., Carnero Guard Station W of La Garita, Saguacho Co). The USA distribution of Veronica alpina is Colorado, with a few locations in bordering areas of Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico. It follows the Rio Grande drainage only into the mountains of Santa Fe Co, New Mexico. Note that the change in genus epithet to Synthyris from the familiar Besseya is based on phytogenetic analysis by Hufford and McMahon (2004). Then Alback, Martinez-Ortegsa, Fischer, and Chase (2004) argued convincingly that all species previously put in the genera Besseya belong in the genus Veronica. At least this convinced FNA.