Alpine buttercups (Ranunculus adoneus) are amazingly hardy, initiating the growth of their flowers while still buried by snow. The flowers absorb radiation from the sun and melt the snow around them, getting a jump on the very short alpine growing season. The flowers also track the sun as it moves across the sky, warming the flower, potentially attracting pollinators, and gaining energy through photosynthesis. This flower had already emerged from the snow which has melted around it, but snowmelt water from upslope had frozen overnight, creating a layer of ice surrounding its stem.

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Make:	SONY
Model:	ILCE-7M2
Exposure:	0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture:	f/16.0
ISO Speed:	320
Focal Length:	90 mm
Lens:	FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS