About Gymnosteris parvula (Rydb.) A.Heller
Gymnosteris parvula, commonly called smallflower gymnosteris, is a flowering plant belonging to the phlox family. It is native to the western United States, ranging from California to Montana. This species is a small annual herb that produces a thin stem, which ranges in color from green to red, and grows only a few centimeters tall. The plant has no true leaves; its scientific genus name Gymnosteris derives from the Greek phrase meaning "naked stem". A large, fleshy inflorescence sits at the top of the stem, and it bears red-tinged green bracts that function like leaves. One to five small flowers, each less than one centimeter long, grow inside this lobular inflorescence. Each flower has a yellow throat, and yellow or white oval-shaped lobes with pointed tips. This species is self-pollinating.
