Forbs
Forbs are herbaceous flowering plant species. This category includes those plant species people think of as "wildflowers" such as goldenrod, gentian, fireweed, forget-me-not, larkspur, lupine, monkshood, poppies, and violets. This is the most species-rich group of plants in the Denali National Park and Preserve flora, including over 450 species from 54 families of flowering plants.
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NPS Photo[/caption]
Forbs occur in all habitats across the park from aquatic communities to the driest, most windswept scree-slopes and ridges. The dazzling diversity of forms and colors within this group reflects a similar diversity of physiological adaptations and life history strategies. Consider, for example, the ecological biographical, morphological and physiological spectra represented by just three of our 450 species of forbs – Scamman’s spring beauty (
Claytonia scammaniana), tall bluebells (
Mertensia paniculata), and round-leaved sundew (
Drosera rotundifolia).
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NPS Photo / A. Parker Geisman[/caption]
The families with the largest numbers of forbs in the park flora are:
- Aster family (Asteraceae, 59 species)
- Mustard family (Brassicaceae, 45 species)
- Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae, 32 species)
- Pink family (Caryophyllaceae, 31 species)
- Saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae, 31 species).
Over 200 forb species are
included in the Atlas thus far. Use the
List by Family / Genera option to choose forb families and genera to explore or
download a list all included forb species.