Entire-leaf Mountain Avens • White Avens

Arctic Mountain Avens • Arctic Dryad

Dryas integrifolia Vahl
DRY-ass  in-teg-rih-FOE-lee-ah (alt. in-teg-ree-FOH-lee-uh)

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

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Definitions

* Note: Matted, dwarf shrub, commonly hybridizes with Dryas octopetala and also shares the common names white dryas, mountain avens and white dryad.  The Latin name "integrifolia" means "entire leafed" (without divisions). The Dryas species has a special adaptation to the lack of nitrogen in its environment. Taking the nitrogen from the atmosphere the plants store it on their roots in nodules.  Dryas is a latin and Greek word for "wood nymph".

* Stem: Hairy, arising from densely packed and woodly leaf base.

* Flower: May to August, solitary, up to 1", creamy white petals.  When goes to seed has a twist that turns into a dandelion like head.

* Leaves: Evergreen, leathery, needle like, short, flat and small, not toothed except occasionally toward rounded base.  Above dark green, smooth and shiny, below, densely covered with white hairs, edges rolled under.

* Habitat: Found along river bars and open rocky and gravelly areas at low elevations, less commonly on tundra and on high alpine slopes.