Oreochrysum parryi 
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Subalpine. Woodlands. Summer.

In many areas of Colorado Oreochrysum parryi is often very common, sometimes seeming nearly ubiquitous in Spruce forests, commonly greening the forest floor with hundreds or thousands of plants.  Only a small percent of the numerous plants will flower, however, but still dozens of flowering plants in a small area are common.

Stems are characteristically rough with a purple hue and sport few but large and almost vertical leaves.  Flowers are small relative to the size of the plant and typically three to six flowers are closely bunched at the top of the plant.

"Oros" is Greek for "mountain" and "chrysos" for "gold".

Parry collected the first specimen of this plant in Colorado and Asa Gray named it Aplopappus parryi in 1862.  Edwin Greene renamed it Solidago parryi in 1894, and Per Axel Rydberg renamed it Oreochrysum parryi in 1906.