Common names:
Alpine kitten tails, Alpine coral drops
Family:
Scientific name:
Veronica besseya
Synonyms:
Besseya alpina, synthyris alpina
Main flower color:
Range:
Colorado, plus small areas in north New Mexico, southeast Utah and south Wyoming
Height:
From 2 to 8 inches
Habitat:
Tundra, stony slopes; from 9,000 to 14,000 feet
Leaves:
Oblong to ovate, thick, up to 2 inches long, with wavy, toothed margins
Season:
May to August
Veronica besseya is an uncommon species found at high elevations, in the tundra zone above the treeline, in the southern Rocky Mountains, mainly in Colorado. Stems may be glabrous, or densely long-hairy (pilose). Leaves are found at the base, and at alternate intervals along the stem, where they are about half as long. Leaves are lined with small, regular teeth and have lighter-colored, pinnate venation.
The inflorescence is a dense spike along the upper half to third of the stem; up to 4 inches, with 100 or more flowers, below which are a cluster of up to 15 ovate bracts. Flowers have four hairy green sepals, four (less often three or five) purple petals (the upper projecting beyond the lower), and two stamens, exserted well beyond the petals. Filaments are purple, the anthers whitish.
The inflorescence is a dense spike along the upper half to third of the stem; up to 4 inches, with 100 or more flowers, below which are a cluster of up to 15 ovate bracts. Flowers have four hairy green sepals, four (less often three or five) purple petals (the upper projecting beyond the lower), and two stamens, exserted well beyond the petals. Filaments are purple, the anthers whitish.
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