Brittle sandwort, Minuartia nuttallii var. fragilis (35291583201)

Description :

Description: brittle sandwort, Minuartia nuttallii var. fragilis, Nevada, Virginia Range, Geiger Grade, Steamboat Creek - Truckee Meadows drainage, elevation 1635 m (5360 ft). Brittle sandwort is found along the east side of the Sierra Nevada - Cascade Range axis of the western United States, extending eastward into the Great Basin of Nevada and southwestern Idaho. The name comes from its stems, which easily break apart at the nodes and disintegrate as they dry, possibly aiding in wind or water dispersal. This variety thrives best in harsh, barren soils where competition is low, such as shrink-swell clay deposits or the acidic altered andesite soils shown here. Date: 25 May 2016, 12:31. Source: brittle sandwort, Minuartia nuttallii var. fragilis. Author: Jim Morefield from Nevada, USA. Camera location39° 23′ 27.46″ N, 119° 42′ 14.62″ W View all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap 39.390961; -119.704062.