Claytonia sibirica

Candy Flower

Candy Flower
aka Siberian Miner’s Lettuce, Western Springbeauty, Siberian Spring Beauty, Montia sibirica. One of the most common of the Claytonia in the park. The flowers have five petals and can be white to pink in many flowered clusters. The leaves have long stalks up to 10 in. (25 cm) and the blades are lance- or egg-shaped to elliptic. The leaves were used for a variety of medicianl purposes by aborignal people. Prefers moist shady places up to 5,000′ elevation.

Family:

Montiaceae - MINER'S LETTUCE FAMILY

Genus:

Claytonia after botanist John Clayton, born in 1685

Species:

sibirica for Siberia
Photo location: WLT near Longmire.