Flora from Western Kansas

I spent a good deal of time on the June 2011 trip taking flower pictures for my daughter. I definitely grew more interested as I proceeded. The variety of wild flowers on the western prairie is stunning once you actually stop to look. 

First pic and a bit blurry. This is Missouri Evening Primrose. Orange buds with a bright yellow flower. Grew everywhere on the rocks.

This is Catclaw Sensitive Briar. This picture does not do it justice. It's a extremely vibrant pink in the green fields. Definitely draws the eye.

Dang the wind! This would have been a great picture, but the blur was caused by the wind moving it around. The Prickly Poppy was not everywhere out there, but pretty common. Almost every single specimen had this strange June Bug-like beetle in the flower (seen here).

I know you're thinking Dandelion, but nope! This is Goat's Beard and I caught it after the flower's had already moved into the seedlings.

Good ol' Yucca plants in bloom.

A pretty grass called Foxtail Barley, down in the wetland portion of the area we were in. 

It wasn't blooming, but this Arrowhead plant was a neat find.

Tall Thistle. Uncommon in the field we were in, but a pretty common plant.

I really liked this one - the Indian Blanket. It was one of the few two-toned flowers in the field.

Just a fun pic (Yucca husk)

The only cactus I came across the entire trip.Some sort of Fishhook cactus, I think

I really enjoyed hunting the flowers on this trip - not as much as hunting fossils, but it was quite a bit of fun and a good change of pace when I was getting frustrated at not finding anything else!!