White Mule Ears
by Robert Bales
Title
White Mule Ears
Artist
Robert Bales
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
While driving around the foothills of the Emmett Valley located in the state of Idaho I found these beautiful flowers.
This beautiful member of the sunflower family is notable for its large, white radiate flowers. White Mules-ears was discovered in Idaho 1833 by the noted explorer, Nathaniel Wyeth. Its species name helianthoides means sunflower-like and the common name mules-ears, refers to its large leaves. Mules-ears are fairly large, stout plants that arise from a woody taproot with 1-several stems per plant. The showy flowers can be 2.5-4.5 centimeters in size.
In springtime, White Mules-ears are often seen in great profusion along moist meadows and foothills at moderate elevations (up to 2600 meters) in Idaho, eastern Oregon, northern Nevada, and western Montana.
You will sometimes find a field of White Mules-ears mixed in with other yellow-flowered members of the genus such as Wyethia amplexicaulis. These two species often hybridize. The parents are either pure white or bright yellow in color. The hybrid plants can be recognized by their pale yellow flowers.
Wyethias can also be confused with another closely-related genus, Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza). The two genera are distinguished by the presence of cauline (stem) leaves in Wyethia and exclusively basal leaves in Balsamorhiza. Both of these genera have been used as food and medicine by native peoples.
From USDA
Uploaded
June 20th, 2016
Statistics
Viewed 666 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/19/2024 at 7:42 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Comments (3)
Angeles M Pomata
Awesome capture. The light and the atmosphere are really inspiring. Great work! L
Robert Bales replied:
Thanks Angeles for the LIKE and the comments on the light and the mood!! I am on my way to Yuma, AZ. for the winter so I will be on and offline for a week!!