“My little buttercup, has the sweetest smile…” Small but striking, alkali buttercups brighten the landscape at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in North Dakota. Growing only a few inches tall, these delicate-looking wildflowers thrive in salty, alkaline soils where many other plants struggle to survive. Their name comes from “alkali,” referring to the mineral-rich, alkaline conditions of the habitats they call home. Tiny in stature, but hard to miss when their bright yellow blooms stand out against the landscape. NPS Photos