Micro-flora fest 2009 It's How Big?

Our fearless field leader, John Howard hones in on a Draba reptans.

Leader of the micro-flora fest, John Howard is also a wonderful photographer and mighty fine person. His photo of a Leavenworthia uniflora in bloom is placed in perspective by the cap of an acorn in the foreground. Barely an inch across, it could almost make an appropriate sized pot for the miniature mustard.

Many of these early blooming plants we pursued in Adams County are in the mustard or Brassicaceae family: Levenworthia, Drabas and the more familiar Cardamines: Purple Spring-cress and Cut-leafed Toothwort. Perhaps their small size makes finding them seem like such a big deal!