North American Wild Flowers (1925) Vol 2

7/27/2019 North American Wild Flowers (1925) Vol 2

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NORTH AMERICANWILD FLOWERS


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JORTH AMERICANWILD FLOWERS

BYMARY ^AUX)WALCOTTA ' III

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TABLE OF CONTENTSVolume II

Note : All sketches are life size. The system used in naming the -plants is the American Code of BotanicalNomenclature. Descriptions of the plants illustrated may be found in Gray s New Manual, Britton andBrown s Illustrated Flora, Small's Flora of the Southeastern United States, or Rydberg s Flora of theRocky Mountains.

PLATE8 1. Douglas Honeysuckle (flower). Lonicera glancescens Rydberg82- Douglas Honeysuckle (fruit). Lonicera glaucescens Rydberg83. Pink Twistedstalk. Streptopus curvipes Vail84. Clasping Twistedstalk. Streptopus amplexifolius (Linnaeus) De Candolle85. White Pea. Lathyrus ochroleucus Hooker86. Mountain Juniper. Juniperus sibirica Burgsdorf87. Riverbank Gentian. Gentiana affinis Grisebach88. Grassleaf Agoseris. Agoseris graminifolia Greene83. Slender Agoseris. Agoseris gracilens (Gray) Kuntze90. Showy Milkweed. Asclepias speciosa Torrey91. Northern Ladyslipper. Cypripedium passerinum Richardsoncjz, Small yellow Ladyslipper. Cypripedium parviflorum Salisbury93. Rayless Groundsel. Senecio pauciflorus Pursh54. Naiad Springbeauty. Claytonia parvifolia Mocino95. American Pasqueflower (flower). Pulsatilla ludoviciana (Nuttall) Heller96. American Pasqueflower (fruit). Pulsatilla ludoviciana (Nuttall) Heller97. Sweetvetch. Hedysarum macken^i Richardson58. Mistmaiden. Koman\offia sitchensis Bongard99. Columbia Clematis (flower). Clematis columbiana (Nuttall) TorreyandGray

100. Columbia Clematis (fruit). Clematis columbiana (Nuttall) Torrey and Gray10 1. Lodgepole Pine. Pinus contorta murrayana (Balfour) Engelmann1ox. Lanceleaf Paintbrush. Castilleja landfolia Rydberg103. White Thistle. Cirsium hookerianum Nuttall


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104. Gray Pussytoes. Antennaria howellii Greene105. Calypso. Cytherea bulbosa (Linnaeus) House106. Rock Willow. Salix petrophila Rydberg107. Sweet Androsace. Androsace carinata Torrey108. Bluegreen Gentian. Gentiana glauca Pallas103. Rocky Mountain Twayblade. Ophrys nephrophylla Rydberg1 10. Spotted Saxifrage. Saxijraga bronchialts Linnaeushi. Bearberry (flower). Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Linnaeus) Sprengeliix. Bearberry (fruit) Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Linnaeus) Sprengel113. Green Pyrola. Pyrola chlorantha Swartz1 14. Avalanche Buttercup. Ranunculus suksdorfii Gray115. Canada BufFaloberry. Lepargyrea canadensis (Linnaeus) Greene116. Deathcamas. Zygadenus elegans Pursh117. Saskatoon. Amelanchier alnijolia Nuttall118. Prairie Aster. Aster campestris Nuttall119. Owl-clover. Orthocarpus tenuifolius Bentham12.0. Showy Oxytrope. Oxytropis splendens Douglashi. Alpine Fernleaf. Pedicularis contorta Bentham12.2.. Pussy Willow. Salix discolor Muhlenberg1x3. Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis Linnaeus114. Pyxie. Pyxidanthera barbulata Michaux12.5. Hepatica. Hepatica americanalLmL12.6. Trailing-arbutus. Epigaea repens Linnaeus117. Canada WUdginger. Asarum canadense Linnaeus12.8. Pinxterbloom. Azalea nudiflora Linnaeus12.9. WildCalla. Calla palustris Linnaeus130. Chickasaw Plum. Prunus angustifolia Marshall131. Grass-pink Orchid. Limodorum tuberosum Linnaeus13Z. Deerberry. Polycodium stamineum (Linnaeus) Greene133. Bog Kalmia. Kalmia polifolia Wangenheim


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134 Painted Trillium. Trillium undulatumWilldenow135. Fringed Polygak. Polygala paucifolia Willdenow136. Squirrelcorn. Bikukulla canadensis (Goldie) Millspaugh137. Red Maple. Acer ruhrum Linnaeus138. Carolina Maple. Acer carolinianumWalter135. Longleaf Pine. Pinus palustris Miller140. Fringetree. Chionanthus virginica Linnaeus141. American Columbine. Aquilegia canadensis Linnaeusi4x. Southern Coast Violet. Viola septemloba Le Conte143. Mayapple. Podophyllum peltatum Linnaeus144. Wood Merrybells. Uvularia perfoliata Linnaeus145. Goldenstar. Chrysogonum virginianum Linnaeus146. Highbush Blackberry. Rubus argutus Link147. Crowpoison. Chrosperma muscaetoxicum (Walter) Kuntze148. Canada Lily, Lilium canadense Linnaeus149. American Wistaria. Kraunhia frutescens (Linnaeus) Greene150. Curly Clematis. Clematis crispa Linnaeus151. Western Yarrow. Achillea lanulosa Nuttall151. Tampa Epidendrum. Epidendrum tampense Lindley153. Tillandsia. Tillandsia fasciculata Swartz154. Spiderlily. Hymenocallis rotata (Ker) Herbert155. Lloyds Strawberry-cactus. Echinocereus lloydii Britton and Rose156. Ghostpipe. Thalesia uniflora (Linnaeus) Britton157. PalePinesap. Hypopitys americana (De Candolle) Small158. Arum Arrowhead. Sagittaria cuneata Sheldon159. Spatterdock Nymphaea advena Solander160. Pineland Aster. Aster squarrosusWalter


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DOUGLAS HONEYSUCKLELonicera glaucescensRydberg

The Douglas honeysuckle is often found in the foothill valleys ofthe Canadian Rockies. In shade the flowers are orange, but they takea deeper hue of red or copper in situations more exposed to the sun.The leaves of the uppermost pair of each twig are expanded at thebase and united to form a shallow cup, from which the flowers arise.The stiff, woody old branches from which the flowering stems groware firmly intertwined with the branches of their supporting bush.When growing in the open, the vine forms a mass of twisted stemsnear the ground. The green leaves make an exquisite background forthe flowers.

This plant ranges from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma and north toOntario, Alberta, and British Columbia.The specimen sketched was collected in July,on the shores ofLake

Minnewonka, ten miles from Banff, Alberta, Canada, at an altitude of4,500 feet

PLATE 8l


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DOUGLAS HONEYSUCKLELonicera glaucescens RydbergFRUIT OF PLATE 8

The bright red fruit ofthe Douglas honeysuckle ripens in Septem-ber. At this season the leaves turn yellow, their veins being usually red.The juicy, inedible fruits are in clusters, each cluster surrounded by aleafy cup.The range of this plant covers the central and northern portions of

the United States, and southern Canada.This sketch was made from a specimen found in September, in the

upper Kootenay Valley near the motor road between the ColumbiaRiverValley and Lake Louise, Alberta, at an altitude of 3,000 feet.

plate 8z


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PINK TWISTEDSTALKStreptopus curvipes Vail

In moist recesses of the woods in the Selkirk Mountains are foundbeds ofpink twistedstalk. The bell-shaped, dainty, rose-colored flowershang beneath the clear green leaves on slender stalks that spring fromthe leaf axils. Thus the passer-by does not see them, unless he knowswhere to search for the hidden flowers. The plant usually has un-branched stems and grows from a foot to two feet in height, formingextensive colonies in favorable places. It is a relative ofthe lily-of-the-valley of our gardens. The fruit is a round, red, inedible berry.The species ranges from Oregon and British Columbia to Alaska.The specimen sketched was obtained near Glacier House at Glacier

Station in the Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia, at an altitude of3,500 feet

PLATE 83


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CLASPING TWISTEDSTALKStrepopus amplexifolius (Linnaeus) De Candolle

The clasping twistedstalk is similar in habit to thepink twistedstalk,but the flowers are greenish white. The whole plant is of greater size,often growing to a height of three feet, and the stems commonly arebranched, except above tree line, where the plants are dwarfed by thecold. The berries ofthis species are also more conspicuous, oval in formand bright red in color, and freely produced along the stems. The stalkson which they are borne are twisted or sharply curved, hence the com-mon name. The plant loves a moist rich soil in wooded places,whereits lush growth and contrasting colors are attractive to the eye.

This member of the Lily-of-the-valley Family is found from thehigh mountains of North Carolina to New Mexico and northwardto Greenland and Alaska. It occurs also in Europe and Asia.The specimen sketched was found near Hector Station on the Cana-

dian Pacific Railway, British Columbia, at an altitude of 5,000 feet.

PLATE 84


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WHITE PEALathyrus ochroleucus Hooker

The white pea is rank in growthwhen it finds a congenial situation,clambering over the undergrowth, and giving a delicate touch to theheavier shrubs by its graceful appearance and fresh color. Horses likeit, especially when in bloom, or when the seed pods have formed. Wefound it in greatest perfection in July on the banks of Lake Minne-wonka near Banff, Alberta, at an altitude of 4,000 feet. The plantsattach themselves for support to other objects in the same manner asthe garden pea, by threadlike tendrils borne at the ends of the leaves.White pea ranges from New Jersey westward toWyoming, and

northward to Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia.

PLATE 85


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MOUNTAIN JUNIPERJuniprus sibirica Burgsdorf

Mountain juniper frequents dry, stony places either among othershrubs or on open mountain slopes, where it forms circular patchesoften ten feet in diameter, but seldom more than eighteen inches tall.Its many stiffbranches and prickly leaves are so offensive that ponies,as well as people, avoid crossing the patches. By midsummer thebushes are loaded with blue-gray berry-like cones which, when win-ter comes, are eaten by wild birds. The berries of some of the otherspecies of juniper were used by the Indians, who ate them either rawor dried, or ground into meal and prepared as mush or cakes. Cakesmade from berries of alligator juniper, an Arizona species, are said tobe easily digested and palatable to European people.

Mountain juniper ranges from Massachusetts,New York,and Mich-igan north to Labrador and central Canada, and in the Rocky Moun-tains from New Mexico to California and northward to Alaska. Itoccurs also in Siberia.The specimen sketched was obtained in the Saskatchewan River

Valley, British Columbia, fifty miles north of Lake Louise Station onthe Canadian Pacific Railway, at an altitude of 4,000 feet.

PLATE 86


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RIVERBANK GENTIANGentiana affinis GrisebachThe riverbank gentian prefers the flat borders ofstreams in the lower

valleys, where grasses and sedges find a combination of congenial soiland moisture. The purple flowers, with white marking on the petals,are elusive, since theyare often hidden byneighboring plants.We foundthem near a"lick"where twentymountain sheep,ewes and lambs,wereenjoying the salty soilkept moist by the snow water from the rushingriver near by, which overflowed its banks each August afternoon.The riverbank gentian, placed by some botanists in the genus Dasy-stephana, ranges from Colorado to California, and north to Saskatch-ewan and British Columbia.The specimen sketched was collected in the valley of the Red Deer

River, three days by trail from Lake Louise Station on the CanadianPacific Railway, Alberta, at an altitude of 5,500 feet.

PLATE 87


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GRASSLEAF AGOSERISAgoseris graminifolia Greene

Grassleaf agoseris, although occurring in many places in the Cana-dian Rockies, is not often seen by travelers, for it usually grows amida tangle ofgrass and other plants, and opens its flowers only in full sun-light. It has graceful leaves, and the fluffy seed heads, like those ofdan-delion, are more showy than the flowers. Some of the widely wind-blown seeds find suitable places for germination. Like other membersof the Chicory Family, to which this plant belongs, its leaves andstems have a milky juice.

Grassleaf agoseris ranges from Arizona northward to the CanadianRockies of Alberta and British Columbia.The specimen sketched was found by the shore of Lake Louise,

Alberta, at an altitude of 5,700 feet.

plate 88


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SLENDER AGOSERISAgoseris gracilens (Gray) Kuntze

The fruiting heads of the various species of Agoseris are muchmore beautiful and showy than the flowers, which expand only inbright sunlight, and are often small and inconspicuous. In Alpinemeadows the fluffy heads are very abundant As the seeds ripen andare dislodged from the parent stem they are blown by the wind tofavorable locations for germination.

This Agoseris may be found from Colorado northward to Albertaand British Columbia.The specimen sketched was obtained in the Douglas Lake Valley,

twenty-five miles by trail from Lake Louise Station, Alberta, Canada,at an altitude of 7,000 feet.

PLATE 89


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SHOWY MILKWEEDAsclepias speciosa Torrey

We are so accustomed to seeing the eastern milkweeds scatteredalong the wayside or among the denizens of waste places, or in thecase of the butterflyweed in isolated clumps, that it was a surprise tofind a whole field of this beautiful milkweed in the Kootenay RiverValley. It seemed to have exactly the right soil as well as other condi-tions suited to its needs, and the heavy, waxy, sweet-scented flowerswere attracting many bees and butterflies to the feast of nectar spreadfor them. The plants were fully four feet tall. Most of the flowerswere of a delicate shade of pink, although the fresher blossoms andbuds were claret-colored, or almost maroon. When examined with aglass,thehighlycomplicated structureofthe flowers canbeseenplainly.

This milkweed ranges from Kansas to California and north to Sas-katchewan and British Columbia.The specimen painted was found in the Columbia RiverValley in

BritishColumbia atFairmountHot Springs, atan altitude of3,000 feet

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NORTHERN LADYSLIPPERCyfripedium passerinum Richardson

We hadmade numerous visits to the CanadianRockieswithout hav-ing seen this beautiful ladyslipper, but one midsummer day, after ford-ing a rushing mountain torrent, we came upon it suddenly. It wascrowded among other plants, and seemed to prefer a moist situationwithsome sunshine. Elsewherein the mountainswe have since foundit on the shores of lakes or streams, but usually in sheltered situations.In some places rich leafmold encouraged more vigorous growth, andthe plants were in clumps eighteen inches in height,with a profusionofthe modest slipper-shaped flowers. The old seed pods of the previ-ous season indicated natures prodigality in providing abundant seeds.

This orchid is distributed from Ontario to Alberta and British Co-lumbia and northward to Alaska.The specimen sketched grew at Healy Creek, near Banff, Alberta, at

an altitude of 4,700 feet.

plate 91


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SMALL YELLOW LADYSLIPPERCypripedium parviflorum Salisbury

The flowers of the small yellow ladyslipper, their golden pouchesdecked with streamers of bronze and claret, immediately attract us bytheir beauty andwe do notwonder that passing bees are enticed by thecoloring and perfume of the flowers. Inside the yellow pouch are nu-merous fine hairs, which secrete tiny drops of a sticky fluid. The bee,attempting to escape, after she has been smeared with this substance,is forced by the shape of the pouch to crawl out by one of the narrowpassages, on the sides ofwhich the pollen masses and stigma are placed.In so doing the bee brushes first past the stigma and then the pollen-bearing anthers. She can not leave pollen on a stigma until she hasbeen smeared with pollen from another flower, and thus cross fertili-zation is effected.

Fortunately this orchid is easily grown in a wild garden, requiringonly a plentiful supply of humus in the soil.The specimen sketched was found in North Carolina, but the plant

ranges from Georgia to Newfoundland and westward to Missouri,Utah, and British Columbia.

PLATE 9X


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RAYLESS GROUNDSELSenecio fauciflorus Pursh

Rayless groundsel, though not usually conspicuous, gives in mid-summer a touch of brilliant color amid the otherwise dull grasses andwillows of the mountain meadows. At first sight it seems to be abudding flower, soon to unfold, but the long rays characteristic ofmost other species ofcomposites are absent, and the head expands nofurther.

Rayless groundsel extends from Michigan to Wyoming and Cal-ifornia, and northward to Labrador, Quebec, and Alaska.The specimen sketchedgrewin the valleyofJohnson Creek,twelve

miles northeast of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, at an altitude of5,500 feet.

plate 93


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NAIAD SPRINGBEAUTYClaytonia -parvifolia Mocino

Aswe pick ourway along some ofthe wet, stony trails near GlacierHouse, British Columbia,we find, ifobserving closely, the dainty stemsof the naiad springbeauty, a member ofthe Purslane Family, growingfrom a small rosetteofgreen leaves. This frail and delicateplant thrivesin the cool drippings from the rocky banks. It is especially interestingfrom the fact that it propagates freelyby bulblets from the axils ofthestem leaves.

This plant ranges from Alaska southward in the mountains to Cali-fornia and Montana.The specimen sketched was found near GlacierHousein the Selkirk

Mountains of British Columbia, at an altitude of 3,500 feet.

PLATE 94


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AMERICAN PASQUEFLOWERPulsatilla ludoviciana (Nuttall) Heller

The pasqueflower is one of the loveliest of the anemones. It isknown commonly in the Canadian Rockies as "wild crocus." In earlyspring the stalks push through the ground as soon as the snow disap-pears, and flower before the leaves unfold. In dry regions,like theuppervalleyofthe ColumbiaRiver in British Columbia, there sometimes fol-lows a second period of blooming, when rain comes in late summerafter a dry season, but these summer flowers are inferior in size andbeauty to those of spring.The pasqueflower is really a prairie plant. It is found from Michigan

and Illinois to Texas, Washington, and Alaska. It has been selected asthe State flower of South Dakota.The sketch was made from a specimen gathered in July near the

summit of Sulphur Mountain at Banff, Alberta, Canada, at 8,000 feetelevation.

PLATE 95


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AMERICAN PASQUEFLOWERPulsatilla ludoviciana (Nuttall) Heller

FRUIT OF PLATE 95The hairy basal leaves of the pasqueflower, growing directly from

the root, and also a whorl of stem leaves, borne at the middle of theflower stalk, develop quickly after the flowers have faded. The seeds,each provided with a curved silky tail, remain attached to the headuntil ripe, when they are scattered by the winds.The pasqueflower ranges throughout the prairie and Rocky Moun-

tain States and the provinces of western Canada.The specimen sketched was obtained in midsummer at Ghost

River, twenty-five miles from Banff, Alberta, at an altitude of 4,500feet.

PLATE 96


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SWEETVETCHHedysarum macken^ii Richardson

In but one place that we visited in the Canadian Rockies did wefind sweetvetch growing in perfection. For several seasons we havemade "Wild FlowerCamp" our headquarters for a short time. On thetrail passing from that place up the steep slopes to the divide abovethe head ofJohnson Creek, we came to a deep unnamed alpine lake,along whose rocky shore the trail leads. On the slopes above thetrail, where the glaciers have plowed away the mountain side, leavingstretches of upland meadows between the rocks, the disintegratinglimestone provides ideal soil conditions for leguminous plants. Heresweetvetch grows in clumps, with stems stiffenough to support theheavy blossoms, while the luxuriant growth of leaves forms a finebackground for the flowers. These are of various shades of crimsonand pink, or occasionally pure white, and their scent is as delightful asthat of freshly gathered sweet peas from the home garden. In otherlocalities the flower heads are so heavy that the stems lie prostrate onthe ground, making beautiful rosettes sometimes eighteen inchesacross. Alexander Mackenzie, in his journey of discovery down theMackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean in 1793, used the roots ofsweet-vetch as an emergency food.

This plant is restricted to the Canadian Rocky Mountain region,from Alberta to Northwest Territory and Yukon.The unnamed lake is about ten miles northeast ofLake Louise Sta-

tion, Alberta, Canada, but by the circuitous trail one and a halfdays arerequired. The altitude is about 8,000 feet.

PLATE 97


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MISTMAIDENRopzanZoffia sitchensis Bongard

Mistmaiden is a dainty alpine plant that is found at or above treeline almost anywhere in the northern Rockies, if growth conditionsare favorable. It grows frequently in rock crevices, and delights inmoist spots where water from melting snow seeps through the earthor drips from the rocks above. During the short growing season it isable to endure the freezing temperatures that are frequent at night.It is but rarely that the delicate stems and fragile flowers are injuredor destroyed. The first specimen that we found was carried to campand placed in water in a tin outside the tent. In the morning, to ourdismay the water was a solid block of ice, and we thought the beau-tiful specimen was ruined ; but when the ice melted the plant was asfresh as ever.

This interesting member of the Waterleaf Family ranges fromMontana to northern California and Alaska. As its specific name, sit-chensis, indicates, the plant was collected first at Sitka, Alaska.The specimen sketched grew near Lake O'Hara in the Canadian

Rockies, British Columbia, at an altitude of 6,600 feet.

PLATE 98


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COLUMBIA CLEMATISClematis Columbiana (Nuttall) Torrey and Gray

Columbia clematis is one of the daintiest and most attractive of themountain wild flowers. The scrambling vine grows gracefully overthe rocks, or clings to some convenient support of bushes or smalltrees, the single purple blossoms lending themselves to the situationwith the utmost freedom from conventionality. The stems arewoody,and after the petal-like sepals fall the feathery seed heads are quite asattractive as the flowers. The blossoms are produced in spring or earlysummer.

Columbia clematis may be found from the mountains of ColoradoandWashington northward to the Canadian Rockies in Alberta andBritish Columbia.The specimen sketched grew five miles from Field, BritishColum-

bia, on the slopes of Mount Burgess, near the trail to Burgess Pass, atan altitude of 6,500 feet.

plate 99


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COLUMBIA CLEMATISClematis columbiana (Nuttall) Torrey and Gray

FRUIT OF PLATE 99The fruits of the Columbia clematis, although not so conspicuous

as the flowers, are quite as beautiful. The silky tails attached to the"seeds" of the loose heads become feather-like as they ripen. The softshades of green grow paler and finally turn silvery gray,when the ripefruits are loosened from the parent stem and carried away by thewind.

Columbia clematis extends from Utah and Colorado northward toAlberta and British Columbia.The specimen sketched was found in August in the Horse Thief

Valley, Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia, twenty miles west ofAthelmere, at an altitude of 3,500 feet.

PLATE IOO


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LODGEPOLE PINEPinus contorta murrayana (Balfour) Engelmann

Lodgepole pine is the commonest tree ofthe Canadian Rockies. Inplaces where fire has taken toll of the primeval forest it is usually thefirst forest growth to obtain a foothold. Here it frequently grows inthickets so dense that they are almost impenetrablefor animals after thetrees have reached a height of seven or eight feet. When full grownthe lodgepole pine attains a height of eighty feet,with a trunk one tothree feet in diameter. If the trees stand alone their branches persistnearly to the base ofthe trunk. The tree is the one most easily availablefor tent or tepee poles, hence its common name. A striking featureofthe tree is that the cones remain upon the branches for a long time,often for years after the tree is dead. Thewood is light yellow or nearlywhite,soft andweak,and is little used for lumber. The Indians, in timesofscarcityofother food,sometimes ate the innerbark and soft sapwood.

Lodgepole pine ranges from Colorado and California northward toSaskatchewan and Alaska.The specimen sketched was procured on the North Fork of theSaskatchewan River, at an altitude of 5,000 feet.

PLATE IOI


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LANCELEAF PAINTBRUSHCastilleja lancifolia Rydberg

The habit of the knceleaf paintbrush is quite different from thatofmany other members of the genus Castilleja, as it has a long creep-ing, perennial rootstock. Usually it is found in moist woods on thelower levels of the eastern slopes of the Rockies. Being protected bysheltering trees and herbs from the sharp frosts that often come inmid-August, it is one of the last flowers to be found in full bloom.The vivid red of the bracts surrounding the flowers, which formdense spikes at the ends of the stiff stems, is especially noticeable toone traveling the mountain trails at this season. In burnt-timber areasit is likely to have survived the ravages of fire, since the rootstock isprotected from the heat by the soil above.

This striking member of the Figwort Family ranges from Colo-rado and Utah north to Alberta and Alaska.The specimen sketched was found in the valley of the Pipestone

River, fifteen miles north of Lake Louise, Alberta, at an altitude of5,500 feet

PLATE IOl


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WHITE THISTLECirsium hookerianum Nuttall

White thistlesgrow luxuriantly in the northern Rocky Mountains.Their seeds, readily blown about by the wind, embrace every oppor-tunity to obtain a foothold. Along the motor road between BanffandLake Louise they grow in great perfection, often four feet tall, withnumerous flower heads along the straight stem, commonly culmi-nating in a rosette of many heads at the apex. The tender openingflowers are much relished by the ponies, who do not seem to mindthe prickly bracts and leaves. Above tree line the plants are reducedin size, often flowering when only six inches high.The white thistle is distributed from Montana northward to the

Canadian Rockies in Alberta and British Columbia.Our specimen grew near the summit of Vermilion Pass, Alberta,

on the motor road between Castle Station, on the Canadian PacificRailway, and the Columbia River Valley, at an altitude of 5,400 feet.

PLATE IO3


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GRAY PUSSYTOESAntennaria howellii Greene

When the showy flowers of spring abound,we naturally overlookthe less conspicuous plants, but as the season advances attention is at-tracted to them. It is then that we notice the gray pussytoes growingon flats along stream beds,where the waters from melting glaciers havedeposited some of their load of mud and sand. These flats support aluxuriant growth of coarse grasses, sedges, and willows. In midsum-mer they are overflowed in the afternoon ofeverywarm day, and thesoil is always moist. In such situations this plant thrives, often form-ing extensive colonies,which are propagated by prostrate leafy shootsthat take root and form new plants. The "seeds," also, are providedwith a tuft of silky hairs, so that they are easily carried to great dis-tances by the wind.The range of this relative of the daisies is from Montana to Wash-

ington, and north to Alberta and British Columbia.The specimen sketched grew at Lone Tree Camp on the Siffleur

River, fifty miles north of Lake Louise Station, Alberta, Canada, at analtitude of 5,000 feet.

plate 104


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CALYPSOCytherea bulbosa (Linnaeus) House

In mountain woods, where pine needles cover the ground and pre-serve the moisture underneath, the dainty calypso is often found, andis a joy to recall ever after. This lovely little orchid, waving with eachpassing breath of wind, is poised on a slender stem that seems too del-icate to support its weight. The tiny bulb, barely half an inch thick,is much valued by the Indians of Alberta in spring as a delicious mor-sel, comparable to new potatoes.

Calypso is a cool-climate plant, and occurs chiefly in the far north,or at high altitudes southward. It apparently survived the glacialperiod in the southern Rocky Mountains, in Arizona and New Mex-ico. Since the ice retreated it has been able to push northward as faras Labrador and Alaska. It is still found in the eastern United States innorthern New York, Vermont, and Maine.The specimen sketched was found in Glacier National Park, Mon-

tana.

PLATE IO5


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SWEET ANDROSACEAndrosace carinata Torrey

Sweet androsace is really a spring flower, unfolding on the lowerhillsides with the earliest blossoms, but it may be found during mostof the summer by ascending to a higher altitude. Its sweet odor andthe dainty clustered flowers, with their yellow centers, lend the planta peculiar charm. The rosettes of stiffgreen leaves, from which eachdelicate flower stem rises, give a mosslike appearance to a colony ofthe plants. They frequent both dry and moist situations. Several relatedspecies occur frequently in the northern Rockies, but they are of un-attractive appearance, and are seldom noticed.

This member of the Primrose Family ranges from the cold moun-tain tops ofNew Mexico north to Alberta and British Columbia.The specimen sketched was found at Ptarmigan Pass, seven miles

northeast ofLake Louise, British Columbia, at an altitude of 7,500 feet.

PLATE IO7


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BLUEGREEN GENTIANGenttana g),auca Pallas

Several species of gentian are common in the Canadian Rockies,but the bluegreen gentian is a most elusive plant. I have found it onlyin the region ofPtarmigan Pass, where it is extremely local, inhabitingnorthern slopes, near the borders of alpine lakes. Following a trailthat the horses had made in order to reach the higher meadows,wherethe sweet short grass was plentiful, we found the shy beauty. Theplants grow singly or in clumps with three or four clusters of blue-green flowers. The pale leaves form a rosette about the base of eachblooming stem. The flowers are a peculiar shade of blue-green. Theyresemble closed gentians more than other members of the familyfound in the region, since the small pointed petals do not fully expandeven with full sunshine. Blooming in August in the exposed situa-tions that they prefer, above tree line, the plants are often caught bythe early frosts, and thus are prevented frequentlyfrom ripening seeds.The bluegreen gentian, sometimes placed in the genus Dasyste-

phana, is found from Montana to British Columbia and Alaska, andalso in Siberia.The specimen sketched grew near a small lake eight miles by trail

northeast of Lake Louise, Alberta, at an altitude of 7,500 feet

PLATE IOS


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ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWAYBLADEOphrys nephrophylla Rydberg

Rocky Mountain twayblade is one ofthe most common represen-tatives of the Orchid Family in the Canadian Rockies. It delights inthe recesses of damp woods, and grows among mosses and othermoisture-loving plants,where the sunshine filters but faintly throughthe trees. The flowers vary in color from yellowish green to green orpurple. The plants are so small and so nearly uniform in color that theyare easily overlooked among other vegetation. Such unobtrusiveplants as these show little affinity in their general appearance withtheir more showy relatives, such as the ladyslippers and the brilliantexotic orchids of our hothouses.

This twayblade is a mountain species, and ranges from New Mex-ico northward to Montana and Alaska. A closely related species isfound from New Jersey to central Canada and Labrador.The sketch was made from specimens collected at Yoho Pass,

eleven miles from Field, British Columbia, at an altitude of 5 ,900 feet.

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SPOTTED SAXIFRAGESaxifraga bronchialis Linnaeus

Spotted saxifrage grows most plentifully about tree line. It growsin masses over the rocks, in whose crevices its roots find a foothold.The Latin specific name is derived from saxum, a rock, and frangOj Ibreak. The dark green foliage retains its colorthrough the winter,andgives to the beds of the plant a mosslike appearance. The flowers arevisited by great numbers ofbees and flies. Sometimes the spots on thepetals are green or yellow instead of red, the other characters of theplant remaining the same. In natures rock gardens these hardy plants,wherever they grow, lend grace and beauty to the scene.

This saxifrage (which has also been called Leptasea austromontand)is found from Utah and New Mexico northward to Alberta and Brit-ish Columbia and Alaska. It grows also in northern Asia and Europe.The specimen sketched was collected near Lake Louise, Alberta,

Canada, at an altitude of 6,500.

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BEARBERRYArctostafhylos uva-ursi (Linnaeus) Sprengel

This shrubby member ofthe Heath Family is seldom seen in bloomby the traveler. Early in the season, soon after the snow melts, theflowers may be found hidden under the mass of beautiful evergreenleaves. They prefer a dry, gravelly, or sandy soil. The leaves wereused by the Indians either in combination with tobacco, or by them-selves, for smoking purposes. The plant has also been used in med-icine as an astringent, as well as by tanners in making leather.

Bearberry, or kinnikinnick, may be found fromNew Jersey to NewMexico and California, and northward to Labrador and Alaska.The sketch was made from a specimen secured near Mount Assin-

iboine, fifty miles south of Banff, Alberta, at an altitude of 6,000 feet.

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BEARBERRYArctostaphylos uva-ursi (Linnaeus) Sprengel

FRUIT OF PLATE IIIWhen August comes, the green fruits of the bearberry, or kinni-

kinnick, begin to appear, and soon turn a bright red. Then the plantassumes a more interesting appearance, and if a sufficient amount ofmoisture is available the berries are numerous and well developed.Grouse and other birds are glad to add these berries to their scantywinter menu, even though they taste to us dry and insipid.

Bearberry,which belongs to the Heath Family,may be found fromNew Jersey to New Mexico and California,and northward to Labra-dor and Alaska.The specimen sketched was collected near Banff, Alberta, Canada,

at an altitude of 4,500 feet.

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GREEN PYROLAPyrola chlorantha Swartz

The green pyrok is a denizen of dry wooded slopes, and blossomsin July. Although it has fewer flowers than the pink species, it isalmost as attractive. The slightly sweet-scented flowers are borne ona stiffstem, rising from a rosette of leathery, evergreen leaves. Theflowers are thick and fleshy and remain for a long time upon theplant, being followed by dry seed pods.

Green pyrola has a wide range, extending fromVirginia to Arizonaand California, and northward to Labrador and British Columbia. Itoccurs also in Europe.The specimen sketched was obtained in the valley of the Siffleur

River, fifty miles by trail north of Lake Louise, Alberta, at an altitudeof 5,000 feet.

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AVALANCHE BUTTERCUPRanunculus suksdorfii Gray

On the high slopes of the mountains, close to the melting snowbanks, the avalanche buttercups grow, frequently associated withanemones, and contrasting theirgolden cups with the white anemoneflowers. As the season advances, we find the buttercups only near theold snow ofthe avalanches,where the cold has delayed the unfoldingof the buds. Warm days soon destroy the beauty of the flowers.The avalanche buttercup ranges from Montana and Washington to

Alberta and British Columbia.Our sketch was made from a specimen collected on the slopes of

Mt. Field near Burgess Pass, seven miles from Field, British Columbia,at an altitude of 7,000 feet.

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CANADA BUFFALOBERRYLepargyrea canadensis (Linnaeus) Greene

Canada buffaloberry is an inconspicuous shrub until the berriesripen, when it decorates the mountain slopes with its red or some-times yellow berries. These are bitter in flavor, though useful toquench thirst, and were used by the Indians as a tonic. When theberries are mashed and water is added, they make a frothy mass whenbeaten, which some persons enjoy. Sometimes the name quassia isgiven locally to the plant. Horses like the twigs as a change fromthe grass and other green things that they eat on the trail. The flow-ers, produced in spring on the leafless branches, are small and greenishyellow. The leaves,which come later, are covered beneath with silverscales that are beautiful when viewed through a lens.

Canada buffaloberries may be found in the mountains from NewYork to New Mexico and Oregon, and northward to Newfound-land and Alaska.Our specimen was collected near Hector Station, British Colum-

bia, at an altitude of 5,000 feet.

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DEATHCAMASZygadenus elegans Pursh

In nature's flower gardens in the Canadian Rockieswe find in Julyquantities of this elegant plant The bunch ofpale, grasslike leaves issurmounted by several stems onwhich are carried a number ofgreen-ish white flowers with a bright green gland at the base ofeach petal.They sway in the breezes, and make a lovely group with wild peas,columbines, asters, and other mountain flowers. They are free fromthe limitations of many mountain plants, since all kinds of slopes,exposures, and soils seem satisfactory for their growth, though thefinest specimens we ever found were growing out of calcareous tufa.The horses know the plant well, and are never deceived into eatingits poisonous leaves, though these appear much like grass when theplant is out of bloom.

This species of deathcamas has a wide range, growing in suitablesituations, in the mountains ofNevada and New Mexico and north-ward to North Dakota and Alaska.The specimen sketched was obtained on the Clearwater River,

thirty-five miles by trail north ofLake Louise Station, British Colum-bia, at an altitude of 6,500 feet.

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SASKATOONAmelanchier alnifolia Nuttall

The saskatoon, service-berry, or June-berry, a northwestern speciesof shadblow, belongs to the Apple Family, and is usually a bush sixor eight feet high, though when growing among other bushes itsometimes attains a height often or fifteen feet. The fruits are bornein heavy clusters, and when partly ripe are bright red, turning to pur-ple when fully ripe. They resemble huckleberries in appearance, butare disappointing in flavor, especiallywhen cooked. They may easily begathered from horseback, and after a long ride are very refreshing. TheIndians ate them fresh from the bushes, and also dried them for win-ter. In Lewis and Clarke's journal they are mentioned as being pound-ed into a pulp by the Indians, formed into loaves, and dried. Thesewould keep sweet for the season and when needed, portions werebroken ofFand cooked in stews. Birds and bears also enjoy these berriesThe saskatoon occurs in dry soil from Michigan to Nebraska and

Colorado and northward to western Ontario, British Columbia, andthe YukoaThe specimen sketched was obtained near the Horse Thief River,one of the sources ofthe Columbia River in British Columbia, twentymiles northwest of Athelmere, at an altitude of 3,000 feet.

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PRAIRIE ASTERAster campstris Nuttall

In one of our saddle journeys in the Columbia River Valley inBritish Columbia, the waning season for flowers brought to ournotice this beautiful aster. It seemed to ignore the dry soil conditions,and expanded its bright purple flowers in many exposed situationswhere other plants had gone to seed. The slender stems are very brit-tle; the narrow leaves are usually entire, though sometimes toothed.The prairie aster ranges along the RockyMountains from Colorado

to Oregon and northward to Alberta and British Columbia.The specimen sketched grew near Radium Hot Springs, British

Columbia, at an altitude of 3,000 feet.

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OWL-CLOVEROrthocarpus tenuifolius Bentham

Going south from Canal Flats along the valley of the KootenayRiver, we soon leave the highermountains and heavily timbered coun-try, the motor road crossing many small, dry prairies. Here the owl-clover is in full bloom in midsummer, forming great patches of pinkcolor among the grasses. This plant is not related to the clovers, butbelongs to the Figwort Family. Itsmanner ofgrowth is different fromthat of the related paintbrushes, yet it recalls them in many ways. Asin them, the bright color is exhibited by bracts rather than flowers.The valley of the Kootenay River runs north and south, and like

the Columbia River Valley, ofwhich it is a continuation, is variablein soil and climate. Protected by mountains on either side, with cli-matic conditions directly the result ofthe proximity ofthe mountains,its rich, light soil deposited by glacial streams, the valley requires onlyirrigation to cause it to produce bountifully. But, lacking moisture,the plants that flourish in the valley are arid-soil plants or those whichlie comparatively dormant until showers waken them to life.Owl-clover ranges from Idaho and Washington to British Co-lumbia.The specimen sketched grew near Cranbrook, British Columbia.

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PUSSY WILLOWSalix discolor Muhlenberg

Pussy willows possess a certain fascination when we gather themwith their tight winter buds, early in spring, in their wild haunts,and watch them expand in the warmer air of the house into fluffycatkins. Out of doors they attract many bees to the early feast of pol-len spread for them. The catkins are oftwo kinds, borne on separateplants; those which bear only flowers with stamens, and the fertileones which produce later in the season myriads of silk-appendagedseeds.

Pussy willow grows in swamps and on moist hillsides from Dela-ware to North Carolina and Missouri, and northward to Nova Scotiaand Saskatchewan.The sketch was made from a specimen collected near Washington,

District of Columbia.

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BLOODROOTSanguinaria canadensis Linnaeus

Bloodroot is such an ephemeral flower that we must visit thewoods at exactly the right time in early spring to see it in perfection.The warm sun brings it into beautiful bloom, and we find its coloniesin rich moist woods. It has pushed through the covering of brownautumn leaves that have protected it through the winter. Like othermembers ofthe Poppy Family, it has an acrid juice. This is blood-redin color, staining anything that it touches. The Indians used it as apaint, while the white mans children gather the roots and use themto color Easter eggs a soft brown hue.

Bloodroot ranges from Florida, Alabama, and Arkansas northwardto Nova Scotia and Manitoba.The sketch was made from a specimen gathered in Washington,

District of Columbia.

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PYXIEPyxidanthera barbulata Michaux

The thrill of finding pyxie in the early spring is equaled only bythe sensation of first discovering trailing-arbutus. This mosslike plantis classed by botanists as an evergreen shrub, though in its creepinghabit it does not seem a shrub at all. It is one of the few Americanrepresentatives oftheDiapensia Family,which is related to the heaths.The flowers are sessile and pure white, and nestle among the leaves,which are often dark red. It is sometimes grown in rock gardens,planted in a mixture of acid peat and clear sand, and thrives in eithermoist or dry situations.

Pyxie is found in dry, sandy pine barrens from North Carolina tosouthern New Jersey.The specimen sketched came from Whitesbog, New Jersey.

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HEPATICAHepatica americana Ker

"There are many things left for May," writes John Burroughs,"butnothing fairer, if as fair, as the first flower, the hepatica. I find I havenever admired this little firstling halfenough. When at the maturityof its charms it is certainly the gem of the woods." With the firstwarm days of spring the soft woolly buds spring from the heart ofthe plant, where they were formed in the autumn. The hardy bloomsmake their first appearance on southern slopes in the woods. Oftenthey are half hidden by the leaves, which persist from the previousseason. The flowers vary in color from pale blue to white and pink,and often have an alluring odor, though this characteristic varies indifferent plants. The new leaves develop as soon as the flowers fall

Blue as the heaven it gazes at,Startling the loiterer in the naked grovesWith unexpected beauty : for the timeOf blossoms and green grass is yet afar.

GibsonHepatica is found from northern Florida to Missouri and north-

ward to Nova Scotia and Manitoba. A closely related species growsin Europe and Asia.The specimen sketchedgrew inWashington, District ofColumbia.

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TRAILING-ARBUTUSEfigaea repens Linnaeus

Trailing-arbutus is an evergreen plant, belonging to the HeathFamily, and occurs in rocky or sandy woods, especially under evergreentrees. The flowering buds are formed before the arrival of the coldofwinter, and open with the first sunny days ofspring. Hidden awayunder dead leaves, and frequently with their pearly flowers turned to-ward the earth, they are not discovered by the casual passer-by.

It is frequently called mayflower in New England, and is the Stateflower of Massachusetts. Bryant associates it with the earliest springflowers in his poem "The twenty-seventh of March."

. . . within the woodsTufts of ground laurel, creeping underneathThe leaves of the last summer, send their sweetsUp to the chilly air ... .

while Whittier tells us ofSad Mayflower, watched by winter stars,And nursed by winter galesWith petals of the sleeted sparsAnd leaves of frozen sails!But warmer suns ere long shall bringTo life the frozen sod,And through dead leaves ofhope shall springAfresh the flowers ofGod.

Trailing-arbutus, when furnished with proper acid soil and suitableexposure, can be grown readily, and produces a fleshy, edible fruit.The specimen sketched was found in Washington, District of

Columbia, but the plant rangesfrom Florida,Kentucky,andWisconsinnorthward to Newfoundland and Saskatchewan.

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CANADA WILDGINGERAsarum canadense Linnaeus

Canada wildginger is one ofour earliest spring flowers. Owing toits habit ofgrowth, the flowers, hidden by dead leaves of the preced-ing autumn, are easily overlooked. The rootstocks have the pungentflavor ofginger, but the juice ofthe leaves and stems is bitter. Lyingso close to the ground, and thus sheltered from the winds,the flowersare a refuge for small flies which serve to pollinate them.Canada wildginger prefers rich woods, and ranges from North

Carolina to Missouri and Kansas, and northward to New Brunswickand Manitoba.The sketch was made from a plant that grew on Plummers Island,

in the Potomac River, near Washington, District of Columbia.

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PINXTERBLOOMAzalea nudiflora Linnaeus

In early spring, the bare stems of the pinxterbloom, or wild azaleawith their clusters of curved red buds, are conspicuous in the woodsor along the banks of the brimful streams. As the flowers open, exhal-ing their peculiar faint perfume, they are visited by bumble bees andmoths. The leaves begin to open about the same time as the flowers,but they do not expand fully until the blooming period has passed.

Easily yielding to cultivation, ifthe soil is acid, eithersunny or shadyplaces may be utilized to grow the plants. They will flourish also ineither dry or swampy situations, growing to a height of six feet insuitable soil.

This species of pinxterbloom ranges from North Carolina north-ward, and since the ice sheets of the glacial period retreated, it haspushed a short distance into the glaciated territory, to a line extendingfrom Illinois through central New York to Massachusetts. A closelyrelated species occurs still farther north.The specimen sketched was collected nearWishington, District of

Columbia.

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WILD CALLACalla falustris LinnaeusCalla is an ancient name taken from Pliny. Our wild plant, the only

species of the genus, belongs to the same family as the showy green-house plant, to which the name calla is applied commonly. Growingin bogs, and along the borders of sluggish streams, the bright greenleaves of the wild calla mingle with those ofother bog plants, and notuntil the plant comes into bloom, and the white spathe appears, areweattracted to it. Largenumbers ofsmall flies and midges visit the flowers.Wild calla is a member of the Arum Family, a vast group, mostofwhose representatives are inhabitants of tropical forests. It shouldbe noted that in the case ofour plant, as in othermembers ofthe family,what appears to be a blossom is really a spike ofmany small and incon-spicuous flowers,surrounded byashowy corolla-like envelope or spathe.Wild calla ranges from New Jersey to Iowa and Wisconsin, and

northward to Nova Scotia, Hudson Bay, and Alaska. It occurs also inEurope and Asia.The specimen sketched was obtained west ofSudbury on the Cana-

dian Pacific Railway in Canada.

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CHICKASAW PLUMPrunus angustifolia Marshall

The Chickasaw plum is one of the first woody plants to bloom inthe spring. It is really a small tree, in favorable situations growingto a height oftwenty-five feet,with a trunk eight inches in diameter.It is very feathery and attractive when in bloom, though the petalssoon fall. The fruit is bright red, rarely yellow, and is appreciated bywild birds. The Indians used it as food, and it can be made into jelliesand jams of fine flavor.

Thisplum extends from Florida to southern NewJersey,and west-ward to Arkansas and Texas.The specimen sketched grew near Washington, District of Co-

lumbia.

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GRASS-PINK ORCHIDLimodorum tuberosum Linnaeus

Grass-pink orchid is to be looked for in bogs and meadows, in Juneor July. It is one of five species of the genus occurring in the easternUnited States, Cuba, and the Bahamas. This member of the OrchidFamily is often plentiful in peat bogs, where it is associated with rosepogonia, or other acid-loving plants. The peculiar arrangement of theflower parts,with the crested lip at the top, gives the impression thatthe blossoms are placed upside down upon the plant, but actually it isthe other orchidswith theirpendent lipswhich are reversed. ThenameLimodorum, given by Linnaeus, is derived from the Greek and may betranslated as"meadowgift" Some botanists use for this plant thegenusname Calopogon, which means "beautiful beard."

This orchid is distributed from Florida to Missouri and northwardto Minnesota, Ontario, and Newfoundland.The specimen sketched grew near Tuckerton, New Jersey.

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DEERBERRYPolycodium stamineum (Linnaeus) Greene

Deerberry is a bushy shrub which often is found growing withpinxterbloom and other heaths, and thrives under similar conditionsof soil and exposure. When flowering branches are detached, theypresent a feathery appearance, but on the bush itself the numerousbell-shaped flowers, which hang below the stems, are often obscuredby the profuse, pale foliage. Deerberry is referred by many botaniststo the genus Vaccinium, which contains the blueberries and whortle-berries. Its globular fruit, green or greenish yellow at maturity andoften more than half an inch in diameter, is seldom eaten. It is some-times called squaw huckleberry In the Southern States the speciesof Polycodium are called, erroneously,"gooseberry,"and the fruit of aspecies with purple berries is very commonly eaten.

Deerberry has a wide distribution, being found from Florida toLouisiana, and northward to New England and Minnesota.The specimen sketched grew atWashington, District ofColumbia.

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PAINTED TRILLIUMTrillium undulatum Willdenow

The painted milium is one of the loveliest of the genus, differingfrom other species in having its softpetalsdecorated with lines ofpinkor wine color. In May and June it may be found in cold, moist woodsin acid soil, where it delights in partial sunlight, before the foliagematures on the trees. The fleshy fruits are bright red.

Painted trillium occurs from Georgia and Missouri northward toNova Scotia, Ontario, andWisconsin.The specimen sketched was obtained from eastern Massachusetts.

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FRINGED POLYGALAPolygala paucifolia Willdenow

Fringed polygak differs widely from many other members of itsgenus in that the flowers are borne singly instead ofin cloverlike headsor racemes. Its lovely color and the dainty fringes on the central petalalso differentiate it from other members of the gtoup. It is a plant ofacid soils.

Fringed polygala extends from Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesotanorthward to Anicosti, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan.The specimen sketched was obtained near Pocono Manor, Pennsyl-

vania.

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SQUIRRELCORNBikukulla canadensis (Goldie) Millspaugh

Squirrelcorn is found in rich woods in spring, its beautiful, slightlyscented flowers borne on a dainty stem well above the pale, featheryleaves. The curious rootstock is very distinctive, bearing many small,yellow tubers that resemble grains of corn. The leaves wither soonafter the seeds have matured, in early summer. The plant belongs tothe Fumitory Family, and is a near relative of dutchmans-breechesand the bleedingheart of gardens. Some writers prefer to use for thegenus the name Dicentra.

Squirrelcorn ranges from Virginia to Tennessee and Missouri, andnorthward to Nebraska, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.Thespecimen sketchedgrew nearWashington, District ofColumbia.

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RED MAPLEAcer rubrum LinnaeusRed maple is our most showy tree of early spring. Its buds begin

to develop with the first sunny days and the tree is soon covered withbloom. In autumn it is equally conspicuous, when its leaves, after theearly frosts, turn a brilliant red. The red maple loves swamps and lowgrounds, and often borders woodlands. The tree is usually small or ofmedium size, but is reported, under exceptionally favorable conditions,to attain a height of no feet. The bark ofold trees is rough and dark,but on young trees, smooth and gray. The light brown wood is usedin the manufacture of furniture and of small turned articles.Red maple ranges from Florida to Texas and northward to Nebras-

ka, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia.The specimen sketched was found at Spring Lake, New Jersey.

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CAROLINA MAPLEAcer carolinianum Walter

Carolina maple is closely related to the red maple, but it is often asmaller tree. The bark is smooth and gray and the wood light brownin color. The small, red flowers appear with the first days of spring,but the tree is at its best when the fruit develops, and the branches arecovered with crimson "keys" which contrast strikingly with the barebranches ofother nearby trees. Like its relative, the red maple, it preferswet or moist soil, and often abounds in coastal swamps.

Carolina maple is distributed from Florida toTexas and northward toPennsylvania and New Jersey, and has been reported also from Massa-chusetts.The specimen sketched was obtained at Beaufort, South Carolina.

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LONGLEAF PINEPinus falustris Miller

A journey from Virginia south to Florida traverses the region inwhich longleaf pine abounds. This is a stately tree, sometimes attain-ing a height of izo feet, with a trunk five feet in diameter. Often itforms extensive forests along the coastal plain. The long leaves clus-tered near the ends of the branches give a strikingly feathery and quitedistinctive appearance to the tree. When in bloom, the clustered spikesof flowers are very beautiful. Clouds of pollen are blown from themby the wind. This tree is the principal source of turpentine, pine tar,and rosin. The wood is hard and strong and either light red or orangein color.

Longleaf pine ranges along the coast from Texas to Florida, andnorthward to Virginia.The specimen sketched was obtained on Ladys Island, near Beau-

fort, South Carolina.

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FRINGETREEChionanthus virginica Linnaeus

When the tender leaves ofspring have developed so that the woodsare just beginning to appear green, the blossoms ofthe fringetree pre-sent a great mass of feathery white, strikingly contrasting with theneighboring trees. The fringetree is a shrub or small tree belongingto the Olive Family, and a near relative of the ash. In the south it iscommonly termed slawbush in reference to the long slender whitecorolla lobes. It is found in either swamps or exposed and often ratherdry situations, being one of those interesting plants which are rela-tively indifferent to wetness or dryness so long as the soil possesses afair degree ofacidity. Our native species is often planted for ornament,but unless some care is taken to acidify its soil the leaves turn yellowby midsummer and fall in early autumn.The fringetree ranges from Florida to Texas and Missouri, and

northward to New Jersey and Pennsylvania.The specimen sketched grew near Washington, District ofColum-

bia.

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AMERICAN COLUMBINEAquilegia canadensis Linnaeus

Of all the spring wild flowers, none is more lovely than the colum-bine which we find in rocky woods or on exposed ledges. Its brightgreen leaves and crimson-and-gold flowers are borne on slender, grace-ful stems. The bumble bees are attracted to the feast of nectar pre-pared for them, and the brilliant color attracts also the ruby-throatedhumming-bird. Taken to England by a relative of John Tradescant,gardener to King Charles the First,theAmerican columbine has yieldedreadily to cultivation, but is never so lovely as when growing in itsnative habitat. Linnaeus gave the genus its name from a fancied resem-blance of the spurs of the flower to the talons of an eagle.

American columbine ranges from Georgia to Texas, and northwardto Nova Scotia and Northwest Territory. Closely related species growin Florida.The specimen sketched was found near Washington, District of

Columbia.

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SOUTHERN COAST VIOLETViola sepemloba Le Conte

This southern plant is one of our most showy violets, with largerblossoms than most of its northern relatives. It grows in light, acidsoil, often in nearly pure sand, and is found in pine barrens from Mis-sissippi and Florida northward to southeastern Virginia. The leavesexhibit unusual variation in the number and shape of their lobes, sothat judging from leaf shape alone, one would often assume that sev-eral species were represented in a single colony of the plants, were itnot for the fact that the form of flowers and seed pods is so uniform.The sketch was made from a specimen collected in North Carolina,

and brought into flower in the greenhouses of the United States De-partment of Agriculture inWashington, District of Columbia.

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WOOD MERRYBELLSUvularia -perfoliata Linnaeus

Wood merrybells, a graceful and attractive plant belonging to theLily-of-the-valley Family, is common in rich, moist woods in May orJune. The flowers hang singly on a slender stem. So many more strik-ing flowers are in bloom at the same season that the species of merry-bells are easily overlooked.The specimen sketched was found near Rock Creek Park,Washing-

ton, District of Columbia, but the plant ranges from Georgia,Tennes-see, and Kansas northward to Quebec, Ontario, and Minnesota.

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GOLDENSTARChrysogonum virginianum Linnaeus

Goldenstar is a showy and handsome plant of moist or dry wood-lands. What appear to be its flowers are heads made up of numeroustiny tubular flowers, each ofthe five outer ones having its corolla trans-formed into a golden ray. The first flower heads bloom in spring, butthe plant often continues to produce new blossoms from its lengthen-ing stems until midsummer. The early-flowering plants, with theircompact tufts ofhairy leaves, aremuchmore beautifulthan thesprawl-ing and weather-beaten plants ofsummer. Goldenstar is the only rep-resentative of its genus. It is seldom a common plant, but it is par-ticularly abundant in the neighborhood of Washington, District ofColumbia, where the specimen sketched was collected.

Goldenstar ranges from Florida and Alabama northward to south-ern Pennsylvania.

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HIGHBUSH BLACKBERRYKubus argutus Link

Highbush blackberry, when in bloom, is one of our most showybushes. It is then a mass of tender white flowers with a backgroundofdark green leaves. It adorns roadsides, fence corners, and waste places,wherever it can find an undisturbed space. A little later it is loadedwith fine clusters of red and green fruit, black and luscious whenripe. The blackberries cultivated in America are improved forms ofthewild species. They belong to the Rose Family.

This particular species of blackberry prefers a dry soil, and ranges,mostly at low altitudes, from Virginia northward to Massachusetts.Closely related species cover a much wider territory.The specimen sketched grew at Washington, District ofColumbia.

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AMERICAN WISTARIAKraunhia frutescens (Linnaeus) Greene

American wistaria is a woody vine, climbing over trees and bushes.Its stem reaches several inches in diameter and as much as forty feet inlength. The showy blue or lilac flowers are borne in abundance,thoughthe racemes are shorter than those ofthe Chinese wistaria so frequentlyseen in our gardens. Wistaria was named in memory of Dr. CasparWistar of Philadelphia.

American wistaria is found in low grounds from Texas to Arkansasand Florida and northward to Virginia.The specimen sketched grew near Savannah, Georgia.

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CURLY CLEMATISClematis crista Linnaeus

The graceful flowers of curly clematis are almost of the texture ofcrepe, and the leaves add to the dainty beauty ofthe vine. This clema-tis is a close relative of the leatherflower, and like that is sometimesreferred to a separate genus, Viorna. Its fruit is a mass of hard seedlikeachenes, each tipped with a long feathery tail. It is a member of theButtercup Family.

Curly clematis is distributed from Florida to Texas, and northwardto Virginia and Missouri.The specimen sketched grew near Yemassee, South Carolina.

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WESTERN YARROWAchillea lanulosa Nuttall

Western yarrow is such a common plant that we usually pass it bywithout appreciation of its beauty. Growing everywhere, and espe-ciallyin neglected places, itswhite heads and feathery foliage areknownto everyone. The crushed leaves and flowershave a pungentand some-what irritant odor,which sometimes causes sneezing. Forms in whichthe heads have pink instead of white rays are not uncommon in theRocky Mountains. A closely related species ofvery similar appearanceis a weed in fields and waste places in the eastern United States. Thegenus name ofthese plants was given in commemoration of Achilles.

Western yarrow ranges from Oklahoma to Mexico and California,and northward to Quebec, Ontario, Michigan, and Yukon.The specimen sketched was obtained in the valley ofthe Red Deer

River, twenty miles north of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, at an alti-tude of 6,700 feet.

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TAMPA EPIDENDRUMEpidendrum tampense Lindley

It is only in Florida and westward along the Gulf Coast in theUnited States thatwe find the mild and moist climate suitable for thegrowth of epiphytic orchids, a group characteristic oftropical forests.In the dense cypress swamps of southern Florida, this Epidendrumgrows commonly, the slender plants forming masses of hard bulbsand stifffleshy leaves on the upper portions ofthe trunks and branchesof various trees. The trees in the Florida keys and the southern partsof the mainland are often loaded with a dense growth of epiphytes,chiefly bromeliads, orchids, ferns, and mosses. In spring, Tampa epi-dendrum sends forth its graceful panicles of flowers, which are hand-some, although inferior to some ofthe very numerous tropical speciesof the genus.

The Tampa epidendrum grows in southern Florida where thespecimen sketched was collected, and also in the Bahamas and Cuba.

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TILLANDSIATillandsia fasciculata Swartz

The tillandsias, of the Pineapple Family, are represented in theUnited States by about fifteen species, most of which are confined toFlorida. All the members ofthe family are American, and in the trop-ics they are very numerous. The species here illustrated, like mostmembers of the family, is an epiphyte, or air-plant, growing upon thetrunks or branches of trees, usually in swamps, and deriving its foodfrom water and decayed vegetable matter that lodges about its roots.The tillandsias often grow with orchids,and frequently have quite asshowy blossoms. Their flowers, however, are extremely delicate, andwither quickly. The leaves usually are covered densely with minutescales,which give a gray aspect to the plant, and have been supposedto prevent evaporation from the leaves, but more probably serve tohold rain water while the plant is extracting nutrient substances fromit. The numerous seeds are furnished with tufts of hairs, and thus aredistributed widely by the wind.

This tillandsiacame from Florida,but the species is widely dispersedin the West Indies, Mexico, and Central and South America.

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LLOYDS STRAWBERRY-CACTUSEchinocereus lloydti Britton and Rose

The brilliant cactus flowers of the southwestern United States arenoticed by everyone traveling to California by train in the spring. Atthis season the apparently dead plants, often growing in grotesqueshapes, are awakened by the first showers of the rainy season. Thenthe deserts are gorgeous with bloom, and colors in the artists box areinadequate to depict the various hues and shades ofcolor in the myriadsof flowers. The Cactus Family, embracing more than 1,2.00 species, isstrictly American, although since the time of Columbus many of itsmembers have been introduced into the Old World, where some ofthem have become serious pests.

This cactus is of limited range. It is found only in western Texas,where this specimen was collected.

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PALE PINESAPHyp-pitys americana (De Candolle) Small

Pale pinesap is a woodland plant, preferring moist situations. Itblooms in late summer. The succulent stems are provided with scalesin place of leaves, and the whole plant is devoid of green coloration.It is not a parasite like ghostpipe, but is saprophytic, that is, it obtainsits nourishment from decomposing vegetable matter, after the fashionof the mushrooms. In aspect it is similar to its close relative, the redpinesap, but lacks the bright coloring ofthat species. It belongs to theIndian Pipe Family, degenerate relatives of the heaths.One or more species of pinesap occur in woods from Florida to

Newfoundland and Ontario. A very similar plant is found in Europe,but the relationships ofthe several species have not been finally deter-mined.The specimen sketched was found near Washington, District of

Columbia.

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SPATTERDOCKNjmphaea advena Solander

Spatterdocks, sometimes called yellow pondlilies, abound along thebanks of sluggish streams and ponds. We usually think of them ascoarse plants, though Longfellow, having in mind the northern spat-terdock with its floating leaves, tells us that Hiawatha's canoe

. . . floated on the riverLike a yellow leaf in autumn,Like a yellow water-lily.

Indeed, with other plants that like to have their roots in the mud,they hide much that is unlovely on the borders of streams. The seedsof a closely related species of the Pacific Coast furnished an importantfood for the Indians.

This species of spatterdock has a wide range, extending from Flor-ida to Texas and northward to southern New York and Wisconsin.Closely related species occur almost throughout the United States,and in Canada, Alaska, and Europe.Thespecimen sketchedgrewnearWashington, District ofColumbia.

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PINELAND ASTERAster squarrosus Walter

Some of the southern asters are very different in appearance fromthe common forms of the North, and one of the most curious is thepineland aster. It is common in many parts of Florida, growing in thesandy pine lands, which seem dry in winter, but are very wet in therainy summer. The slender plants are one to two feet high,with stiff,brittle stems, which are usually much branched, and often form densetangled masses. The most striking characteristic of this species is itsminute leaves, which are extremely numerous, and spreading, or oftenreflexed. It flowers in autumn, like most asters, but continues in bloomthroughout the winter.The pineland aster ranges through most of Florida and northward

to the coast of North Carolina.

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North American Wild Flowers (1925) Vol 2

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Transcript of North American Wild Flowers (1925) Vol 2