Plants of Niwot Ridge

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Alpine Avens

Acomastylis rossii

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Alpine Avens grow in huge patches up in the alpine. If you look at the alpine towards the end of the growing season, the meadows will look red because the leaves change color. Alpine Avens are expecially important to Pika, which collect Alpine Avens leaves and make "haypiles" to dry and store as food in the winter. Pika collect other kinds of plants as well, but Alpine Avens is full of tannins (the stuff that makes black tea taste bitter) and other secondary compounds which act like preservatives. The pika will mix Alpine Avens leaves in with the other plant leaves so the haypiles won't mold and rot before the Pika needs to eat them.