Day 263: Local field guides may refer to Hypericum anagalloides (Tinker's Penny) as "common," but it is not often found in Mount Rainier National Park. It was only by chance that we discovered it while searching for the Fungus of Worldwide Concern (FOWC), several small patches almost entirely hidden by the dominant sedge. As its scientific name implies, it is a member of the same genus as common St. John's Wort, but unlike its weedy roadside cousin, it is native to the state. It is a tiny plant with stems no more than 8 cm. long and blossoms ca. 4 mm and so intensely yellow that they put buttercups to shame. Unfortunately, your correspondent neglected to place her reference penny beside the Tinker's Penny for comparison, thoroughly distracted by the FOWCs and the need to document them for posterity.
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