I had my second Volunteer Naturalist Training today and showed this photo to one of my classmates. She knew what it was!
It's called Redstem Filaree AKA Storksbill.
She couldn't believe I had found a bloom here at quiet an elevation in January. I also learned that it's not a native plant but actually an invasive weed. Honestly it seems like a lot of the plants I've learned to identify are actually invasive! Bummer. Next week in class I'll be learning about plant ecology in our area. Pretty excited about that class. (:
Looking more into the Redstem Filaree, I went to it's Wikipedia page and found this picture:
Wow... I recogize those seed heads! They are awful always sticking through your socks and poking you while you're on a hike!
Besides those annoying seed heads, it looks like they actually have some uses. They feed butterflies like these:
The Brown Argus Butterfly (again not my picture - thanks Wiki)
Medicinal uses for people is what I usually look into when I learn about a new plant. According to Wikipedia... (since none of my field guides say anything about this plant) it is edible, sorta like parsley. Medicinally a poultice of the roots can be used on sores, bites, and swellings. And you can make an infusion of it for helping a stomach ache.
Another image for a really good view of the leaf structure of the plant. (Again not my image, but google says that I'm allowed to share it...)
I bet you've seen these and even stepped on these hiking just about anywhere. I know I've seen these for ages and never cared to learn about them. But now we both know.
Now not that I'm suggesting using these plants for medicinal purposes without your own research but I decided to look a little more into it outside of Wikipedia. And I found this page: http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/e/erodium-cicutarium=stork%27s-bill.php
This page:
http://herbs-treatandtaste.blogspot.com/2012/06/storks-bill-edible-and-medicinal-health.html
and this page:
http://plants.for9.net/edible-and-medicinal-plants/erodium-cicutarium/
Overall it doesn't seem like too bad of a plant to me. It feeds animals and insects and has medicinal uses. Sounds like it can be good for mothers too for both increasing milk production and helping to stop bleeding after childbirth. I think I like this little plant. But it's still crazy that it's blooming in January in the Rocky Mountains!
