''Papaver pygmaeum'' is a species of poppy known by the common name alpine glacier poppy. It is native to North America, where it can be found in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

, and

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

. It has a narrow distribution around the intersection of the three borders. There are about 23 known occurrences, mostly in Montana, with some in Alberta and one in British Columbia.''Papaver pygmaeum''.
The Nature Conservancy. It is present in a number of locations within Glacier National Park.Williams, Tara Y. 1990
''Papaver pygmaeum''
In: Fire Effects Information System, nline U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. This perennial herb produces a stem up to 12 centimeters tall from a taproot. The blue-green leaves are up to 5 centimeters long. The flower is about 2 centimeters wide. The petals are yellow, orange-pink, or orange with a yellow spot. The fruit is a rough-haired capsule about 1.5 centimeters long.''Papaver pygmaeum''.
Flora of North America. Blooming occurs in July and August. This plant grows in high mountain habitat in

alpine climate Alpine climate is the typical weather (climate) for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate. Definition There are multiple definitions of ...

s. It grows on rocky terrain such as talus and

fell field A fellfield or fell field comprises the environment of a slope, usually alpine or tundra, where the dynamics of frost (freeze and thaw cycles) and of wind give rise to characteristic plant forms in scree interstices. Soil dynamics The freeze-thaw ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7132526 pygmaeum Flora of Alberta Flora of British Columbia Flora of Montana