Common Names: Slender Hawkweed, Alpine Hawkweed, Wooly Hawkweed

This species can be confusing as it now includes both H. gracile (Alpine/Slender Hawkweed) and H. triste (Wooly Hawkweed).

USDA lists two varieties for H. triste and four varieties for H. gracile:
H. triste:
var. fulvum (AK)
var. triste (wCanada)
H. gracile:
var. alaskanum: (AK)
var. detonsum: (wUSA)
var. gracile: (wUSA, AK)
var. yukonese (AK)

For the old H. triste, note black and white "wooly" hairs on lower calyx with spoon-shaped leaves that are slightly plump. For the old H. gracile note the white hairs on the calyx and the longer and more slender leaves that I found at higher elevations. The similar H. scouleri is a tall plant with a lot of flower heads, found mostly in eastern WA.

north Olympics; west North Cascades
TRAIL: Obstruction Point; Mt. Larabee
HABITAT: subalpine open rocky
ELEVATION: 1,655 - 2,065 m (5,420 - 6,765 ft.)