Gentian newberryi, portraits

Some time ago there was a daffnet discussion on gentians, and as I recall Brian sent in a photo of an intense blue variety. Here are three photos of our high sierra species, Gentian newberryi, alpine gentian, taken at an elevation of about 10,400 ft on September 26. This tiny alpine gentian is the last of the high altitude species to bloom in the Sierra. We were delighted to see it when hiking the 20-Lakes Loop north east of Tioga Pass. It was in a long gully of cracked metamorphic rock. Earlier in the season there would have been a stream running down the gully, but so late in the season, the upper lake had sunk below its outlet, and so there was no flow in the streambed. Melissa