Beynon Ecological Preserve

Seen when a group of us was lucky enough to spend the day, on 3 August 2013, hiking on the Nature Conservancy land at the Beynon Ecological Preserve, a long drive east of Calgary. This area is not far from Drumheller, in the Badlands of Alberta. Dotted Blazingstar is not found in many places within the city, so it was nice to come across it on this botanizing day. Not an easy flower to photograph, I find, as most blooms seem to be very unbalanced and not very photogenic. However, I have very few photos of this plant, and wanted to add it to my Beynon album, anyway.

This plant is the closest wild relative of cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Also called prickly lettuce, milk thistle, compass plant, and scarole. The flower heads are 11 to 13mm wide, are pale yellow, often tinged purple. The bracts are also often tinged purple. The leaves of this plant often point east and west, giving it the common name "Compass-plant". It is an introduced plant, from Europe. Photographed when a group of us visited the Beynon Ecological Preserve (Nature Conservancy of Canada), near Drumheller, in the Badlands of Alberta, on 3 August 2013. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactuca_serriola

On 3 August 2013, a group of us drove out east of Calgary to visit and record all flora and fauna found on the Beynon Ecological Preserve. This land belongs to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. One of the wildflowers that we saw in several places was this native species of Sunflower. I know that there is more than one species, and I'm not sure exactly which one this is. Apparently, two species were seen on that trip: Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), which was seen along the road approaching Beynon, and Stiff/Rhombic-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus pauciflorus/subrhomboideus). I think it is the Stiff/Rhombic-leaved Sunflower. "Beynon is primarily a private 500+ acre ecological preserve. Located within a deeply sculpted portion of the Rosebud River valley, the area is recognized as being regionally significant. Due to its unique topography, picturesque valley setting, and relative rarity in terms of biodiversity, Beynon protected its surrounding area by permanently protecting over 400 acres (1.6 km2) from development. This protection was achieved by way of an outright donation of land by Beynon's founding family, who still own most of the unincorporated area called Beynon. The Nature Conservancy of Canada were the recipients of the 400-acre (1.6 km2) land donation in 1999." From Wikipedia. By the way, the Beynon Canyon was featured in the cemetery scene from the 1978 film Superman: The Movie. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beynon,_Alberta

On 3 August 2013, a group of us was lucky enough to spend the day hiking on the Nature Conservancy of Canada land at the Beynon Ecological Preserve, a long drive east of Calgary. This area is not far from Drumheller, in the Badlands of Alberta. This is one of the views from the highest point that we walked - such a spectacular and unique landscape. "Beynon is primarily a private 500+ acre ecological preserve. Located within a deeply sculpted portion of the Rosebud River valley, the area is recognized as being regionally significant. Due to its unique topography, picturesque valley setting, and relative rarity in terms of biodiversity, Beynon protected its surrounding area by permanently protecting over 400 acres (1.6 km2) from development. This protection was achieved by way of an outright donation of land by Beynon's founding family, who still own most of the unincorporated area called Beynon. The Nature Conservancy of Canada were the recipients of the 400-acre (1.6 km2) land donation in 1999." From Wikipedia. By the way, the Beynon Canyon was featured in the cemetery scene from the 1978 film Superman: The Movie. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beynon,_Alberta

I always think Sowthistles are so beautiful, especially when backlit by the sun. If this is the Perennial Sowthistle (never sure which of two species a flower is), then the Alberta Provincial Designation for this plant is Noxious. Annual Sowthistle is very similar, but reproduces by seed only, and the flowers are smaller than those of Perennial Sowthistle. www.invasiveplants.ab.ca/factsheets/FS-PerennSowthistle.pdf

On 3 August 2013, a group of us was lucky enough to spend the day hiking on the Nature Conservancy of Canada land at the Beynon Ecological Preserve, a long drive east of Calgary. This area is not far from Drumheller, in the Badlands of Alberta. This is one of the views from the highest point that we walked - such a beautiful landscape, especially different views that show the more eroded canyons that are typical of the Badlands. Ha, we WILL have summer this year, won't we??? "Beynon is primarily a private 500+ acre ecological preserve. Located within a deeply sculpted portion of the Rosebud River valley, the area is recognized as being regionally significant. Due to its unique topography, picturesque valley setting, and relative rarity in terms of biodiversity, Beynon protected its surrounding area by permanently protecting over 400 acres (1.6 km2) from development. This protection was achieved by way of an outright donation of land by Beynon's founding family, who still own most of the unincorporated area called Beynon. The Nature Conservancy of Canada were the recipients of the 400-acre (1.6 km2) land donation in 1999." From Wikipedia. By the way, the Beynon Canyon was featured in the cemetery scene from the 1978 film Superman: The Movie. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beynon,_Alberta

On 3 August 2013, a group of us was lucky enough to spend the day hiking on the Nature Conservancy of Canada land at the Beynon Ecological Preserve, a long drive east of Calgary. This area is not far from Drumheller, in the Badlands of Alberta. This is another view from the highest point that we walked - such a beautiful landscape, especially views that show the more eroded canyons that are typical of the Badlands. Ha, we WILL have summer this year, won't we??? "Beynon is primarily a private 500+ acre ecological preserve. Located within a deeply sculpted portion of the Rosebud River valley, the area is recognized as being regionally significant. Due to its unique topography, picturesque valley setting, and relative rarity in terms of biodiversity, Beynon protected its surrounding area by permanently protecting over 400 acres (1.6 km2) from development. This protection was achieved by way of an outright donation of land by Beynon's founding family, who still own most of the unincorporated area called Beynon. The Nature Conservancy of Canada were the recipients of the 400-acre (1.6 km2) land donation in 1999." From Wikipedia. By the way, the Beynon Canyon was featured in the cemetery scene from the 1978 film Superman: The Movie.