Luminous ID

Silene acaulis (moss campion, Carophyllaceae) is a flowering alpine cushion plant that grows above treeline throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is useful for ecologists to know where this plant grows, as the geographic range of this species can be indicative of climate change impacts on alpine species. Help us find S. acaulis populations by using this app to take pictures of flowering plants you find above treeline. An identification algorithm will tell you immediately if you have found the plant or not, even without internet access. Once you have internet service again, you can upload your observations. This will provide us with valuable information on this plant's locations and will greatly help us with our research.

Interested in other alpine plant species? Use the field guide to help you identify alpine flowers on your hike!

Funding assistance for this project was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF #DEB-1242355 and the LTER program at Niwot Ridge NSF #DEB-1027341).