Dryas octopetala / mountain avens. Tachal Dahl/Sheep Mountain Ridge, Kluane NP & Reserve, Yukon, Canada.

Dryas octopetala (also known as mountain avens, white dryas, or white dryad) is an Arctic–alpine flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. Photographed in Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon, Canada. This small prostrate evergreen subshrub forms large colonies. Its name octopetala derives from the Greek octo (eight) and petalon (petal). Its eight petals are an unusual number in the Rosaceae family, where five is normal, though flowers with up to 16 petals also occur naturally. Hike Sheep Creek trail (10-15 km with 500-1200 m gain, or 1700-4000 ft) for spectacular views of the Slim's River Valley and surrounding mountains, plus Kluane Lake seen from Soldier's Summit on Tachal Dahl (Sheep Mountain) Ridge.

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Filename: 1906AKH-2889.jpg
Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
Image Size: 5472x3648 / 5.1MB; http://www.photoseek.com/; PhotoBest
Contained in galleries: CANADA: mountain park favorites, Alaska-Canadian Highway, CANADA: Yukon: Whitehorse, Dawson, Klondike Highway, 2019 Jun: all Alaska-Canadian Highway, 2019 Jun: Alaska-Canadian favorites

Dryas octopetala (also known as mountain avens, white dryas, or white dryad) is an Arctic–alpine flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. Photographed in Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon, Canada. This small prostrate evergreen subshrub forms large colonies. Its name octopetala derives from the Greek octo (eight) and petalon (petal). Its eight petals are an unusual number in the Rosaceae family, where five is normal, though flowers with up to 16 petals also occur naturally. Hike Sheep Creek trail (10-15 km with 500-1200 m gain, or 1700-4000 ft) for spectacular views of the Slim's River Valley and surrounding mountains, plus Kluane Lake seen from Soldier's Summit on Tachal Dahl (Sheep Mountain) Ridge.