Plate 16, fig. 7
The delicate drooping pink blossom of the Wintergreen grow in open spikes on slender stems 5-7 in. tall and bloom in early and midsummer. The leaves are evergreen and the plants are usually grouped in such a way as to form evergreen carpets on brook-banks, and in fir and spruce woods at 7000-11000 ft.
Plate 16, fig. 10
The Bearberry is a trailing plant with evergreen leaves that forms dense mats in pine forests and on gravel-slides and denuded hills at 3000-10000 ft. The drooping clusters of tiny waxen blossoms with pink edges are hidden beneath the leaves in early summer. They later develop into crimson berries which contrast with the evergreen foliage and hence serve as decorations, resembling the well-known holly of the Christmas season.
Plate 18, fig. 1
The Rose Gentian is interesting on account of its great variability in size and form. In dry spots and on alpine peaks, the plants are often only 1/2-1 in. tall with the flower even longer than the stem. Inmoist situations and in shade they may be a foot or two high and much branched. The flowers are lilac with a fringe of hairs at the opening of the paler tube. They bloom throughout the summer and are found in meadows and in fir, spruce and aspen forests at 6000-12000 ft.
Plate 18, fig. 2
The Fringed Gentian is named from the finely cut edges of the petals and is closely related to the Fringed Gentian of the East. The deep blue flowers have lighter streaks or patches downward and they bloom throughout the summer. The plants grow in wet meadows and along brook-banks at 8000-13000 ft.
Plate 18, fig. 3
The flowers of the Green Gentian are pale greenish-white with dark bluish spots on the tips of the petals. They are crowded in huge clusters a foot or two long on plants 2-6 ft. tall. They bloom all summer and are visited by many kinds of insects in search of honey. The nectaries are protected by a fringe of hairs. The plants grow in spruce and aspen woods or in grassy clearings at 6000-10000 ft.
Plate 18, fig. 4
This is also a fringed gentian with very fragrant flowers which bloom in late summer. The petals are pale blue and curiously long. The plants are rare but may be found in open parks and meadows at 9000-12000 ft.
Plate 18
GENTIAN FAMILY
1Rose Gentian: Gentiana amarella2Fringed Gentian: Gentiana serrata3Green Gentian: Frasera speciosa4Fragrant Gentian: Gentiana barbellata5Prairie Gentian: Eustoma russellianum6Blue Gentian: Gentiana calycosa7Star Gentian: Swertia perennis
Plate 18, fig. 5
The Prairie Gentian is one of the largest flowered gentians. Wet meadows at 4000-5500 ft. are brilliant in midsummer with the deep reddish-purple flowers. The plants rarely grow taller than 15 in.
Plate 18, fig. 6
The deep blue flowers of this Gentian grow in clusters on plants 5-20 in. tall. They bloom in midsummer and autumn and are found in aspen woods and meadows at 8000-12000 ft. Practically all species of Gentians yield a substance which is one of the best simple bitters and is used in medicine.
Plate 18, fig. 7
The starry blue-purple or white flowers of the Star Gentian are clustered on stems 3-20 in. tall. They grow along brook-banks and in wet meadows and bogs at 8000-13000 ft. and bloom during midsummer.
Plate 19, fig. 1
This Ground Cherry has beautiful purple flowers, each with a white-rayed, woolly star in the center of the corolla. The plants are low and spreading, and 2-8 in. high. They are found in waste places and along roadsides at 4000-6000 ft., blooming in early and midsummer. The common Ground Cherries usually have yellow flowers and the berries are edible, often being made into jams and pies.
Plate 19
POTATO FAMILY
1Purple Ground Cherry: Quincula lobata4Buffalo Bur: Solanum rostratum
MORNING GLORY FAMILY
2Bush Morning Glory: Ipomoea leptophylla
PHLOX FAMILY
3Trumpet Phlox: Gilia aggregata5Nectar Cup: Polemonium speciosum6Jacob’s Ladder: Polemonium pulchellum7Tiny Trumpet: Collomia linearis
Plate 19, fig. 4
The yellow flowers of the Buffalo Bur are similar to those of its near relative, the potato. They grow on bushy plants, 1-3 ft. high and are found along roadsides, in fallow fields and pastures at 4000-6000 ft. They bloom throughout the summer and the prickly pods are found along with the flowers. The common name refers to the prickles on pod and stem, and the specific one to the curious beak of the flower. The Buffalo Bur is an annual and hence it can be easily gotten rid of by cutting or burning.
Plate 19, fig. 2
The bushy form of this plant makes it a very strange Morning Glory in looks, but the flowers are characteristic, opening in the morning and closing and withering later in the day. The large pink or red blossoms cover the bushes with a riot of color during the summer. The bushes grow to a height of 2-5 ft. and possess huge roots, some of them attaining the size of a man. They are found on plains and foothills and in sandhills at 3000-6000 ft. The Bush Morning Glory is highly ornamental and should be in cultivation.
Plate 19, fig. 3
The flowers of the Trumpet Phlox show a wide range of color. In the mountains they are usually pink, while on the plains pure whiteand deep red are the commonest colors. The blossoms are clustered along the slender stems which are 2-4 ft. tall. The plants are widely distributed on plains, foothills and open places in the mountains at 6000-10000 ft. and they bloom throughout the summer. The humming-bird is a regular visitor of this flower for the sake of its nectar. In fact, the latter can be secured only by humming-birds and butterflies because of the length of the tube. In Indian legend, the nectar of the Trumpet Phylox was the drink of the wild dove.
Plate 19, fig. 5
The fragrant pale blue flowers of the Nectar Cup are hidden away on the highest peaks of Colorado at 12000-14000 ft. They grow in dense heads at the tips of stems about a foot tall and bloom in midsummer. The name refers to the abundant honey at the base of the corolla tube.
Plate 19, fig. 6
Jacob’s Ladder doubtless receives its name from the ladder-like leaves. The flowers are delicately blue with white tubes and are clustered on graceful stems a foot tall or less. They may be found in spruce forests on the mountains at 8000-14000 ft. and bloom in summer, often so abundantly as to form a blue carpet on the forest floor.
Plate 19, fig. 7
The tiny white to reddish flowers of this plant may easily be overlooked on account of their size. They are grouped on stems which vary from a few inches to about 3 ft. in height, and grow in dry and sandy soil at 4000-9000 ft. They come into bloom in the spring and blossom throughout the summer.
Plate 21, fig. 1
The very graceful drooping clusters of Chiming Bells vary through delicate shades of blue and pink. The plants grow 2-5 ft. tall and are found blooming all summer long in fir and spruce forests and along shady streams at 6000-13000 ft.
Plate 21, fig. 2
The yellow or yellowish flowers of the Golden Borage are clustered at the ends of stems 4-10 in. high. They bloom in spring and early summer and are found on hills at 3000-7000 ft.
Plate 21, fig. 3
The bright yellow flowers of the Puccoon hang in dense clusters from tips of stems 1-3 ft. high. They occur on hills and mountains and in canyons at 6000-10000 ft. and bloom in spring and early summer. The botanical name means “stone seed” and refers to the mature seeds which are hard, white and shining. The French call this plant the “Plante aux Perles” since the ripe seeds resemble pearls.
Plate 21, fig. 4
This rare little flower is the true Forget-me-not and is widely cultivated in gardens. The blossoms are blue, pink or white and grow in clusters on stems 4-10 in. high, in mountain meadows at 9000-12000 ft. They are very fragrant and bloom from spring throughout the summer.
Plate 21
BORAGE FAMILY
1Chiming bells: Mertensia sibirica2Golden Borage: Krynitzkia leucophaea3Puccoon: Lithospermum multiflorum4Forget-me-not: Myosotis alpestris5Alpine Forget-me-not: Mertensia alpina7Comfrey: Symphytum officinale8Dwarf Forget-me-not: Eritrichium argenteum9Stickseed: Lappula floribunda
WATERLEAF FAMILY
6Purple Fringe: Phacelia sericea
Plate 21, fig. 5
The Alpine Forget-me-not is not a true Forget-me-not, but is universally called such in the Rocky Mountains, where it is very abundant on the highest peaks of Colorado at 10000-14000 ft. The flowers are blue or pink and are very fragrant. They grow in dense clusters on stems 2-16 in. high and bloom in early summer. This flower would well repay cultivation at lower altitudes.
Plate 21, fig. 7
The yellowish or purplish flowers of the Comfrey occur on stems 2-3 ft. tall along roadsides in Colorado at 5000 ft. They come into bloom in early summer and continue throughout the summer. The plant is medicinal, yielding an astringent as well as an emollient. The leaves when young form a good green vegetable and are not infrequently eaten by country people where the plant abounds. They are also sometimes used to flavor cakes and other articles of food, but when fully grown they become coarse and unpleasant to the taste.
Plate 21, fig. 8
The Dwarf Forget-me-not receives its name from its resemblance to the true Forget-me-not,Myosotis. The flowers are white, pale blue or deep blue with some yellow in the throat and are clustered on tiny stems, 1-3 in. high. They grow only on alpine peaks at 11000-14400 ft. and bloom all summer long. The flowers are fragrant and the foliage silvery-green because of the presence of many white hairs.
Plate 21, fig. 9
The Stickseed receives its name from the bur-like fruits covered with tiny hooks which cling tenaciously to objects that touch them.These fruits are somewhat injurious to animals that eat the plants. The tiny flowers are blue or white and are clustered on graceful stems 2-4 ft. high. They bloom all summer on hillsides and among bushes at 5000-10000 ft.
Plate 21, fig. 6
The flowers of the Purple Fringe are blue-violet to deep red-purple, rarely white. They are densely clustered on low stems 6-15 in. high. They bloom in midsummer and possess a strong, disagreeable odor. The plants live in alpine meadows and rock-fields on high peaks at 10000-13000 ft.
Plate 22, fig. 1
The Speedwell is a water-plant and its blue or white, purple-striped flowers may be found in wet meadows and about ponds at 4000-12000 ft. The stems grow 4 in.-2 ft. tall and the flowers bloom throughout the summer.
Plate 22, fig. 2
The common name is suggested by the appearance of the yellow flowers. These occur in stiff spikes on stems 4-16 in. tall and bloom all summer. They may be found on plains and in foothills and meadows at 4000-10000 ft.
Plate 22, fig. 3
The Eyebright is a very close relative of the Speedwell. Some twenty of the species of Veronica have been used as drugs. The flowers are blue with darker stripes and bloom from early spring through the summer and fall. The stems are 6-16 in. tall and are found in waste places at 5000-8000 ft.
Plate 22, fig. 4
The yellow Monkey flowers grow on stems 6 in.-2 ft. high and are found in swamps and along streams, especially in muddy places, at 8000-12000 ft. They bloom in spring and summer. The Greek name of the genus means “comic actor” and refers to the grinning corolla, which also gives point to the common name.
Plate 22, fig. 7
The brilliant red color of the Indian Paintbrush is furnished mainly by the upper leaves. The corollas are enfolded in the brightly colored bracts, which, clustered together at the end of the stem, give the effect of a gorgeous blossom. The plants are partial parasites and obtain their food ready-made from their neighbors. They grow 1-3 ft. tall and occur in foothills, mountains and forests at 6000-11000 ft. The flowers bloom all summer.
Plate 22, fig. 8
The blue or blue and white flowers of this plant grow on spreading stems 2-6 in. high. They occur on shaded hillsides at 5000-9000 ft. and bloom in spring and early summer.
Plate 22
SNAPDRAGON FAMILY
1Speedwell: Veronica americana2Gold Tongue: Orthocarpus luteus3Eyebright: Veronica Buxbaumii4Monkey Flower: Mimulus Langsdorfii7Indian Paintbrush, Painter’s Brush: Castilleia miniata8Blue-eyed-Mary: Collinsia parviflora9Lousewort, Turtle Head: Pedicularis canadensis10Butter-and-eggs: Linaria vulgaris11Little Elephant: Elephantella groenlandica
BLADDERWORT FAMILY
5Bladderwort: Utricularia vulgaris
BROOM-RAPE FAMILY
6Broom-rape: Thalesia uniflora
Plate 22, fig. 9
The flowers of this Lousewort are yellowish and occur in crowded heads on low spreading stems, 4-6 in. high. They occur in mountain meadows at 6000-9000 ft. and bloom in spring and early summer. The name Lousewort is derived from the Latin one which was bestowed upon it, because once upon a time farmers believed that when their flocks fed upon the flowers the sheep were liable to be attacked by certain tiny lice or “pediculi.” The name Turtle Head is from a fancied resemblance of the flower to the protruded head of a turtle. The plants are supposed to be poisonous to sheep.
Plate 22, fig. 10
The flowers of Butter-and-Eggs are yellow and orange, and the common name refers to these two shades of yellow. They bloom throughout the summer and fall and are common in waste places and fields at 3000-7000 ft. The plants are persistent deep-rooted perennial weeds, 8-20 in. tall, and may be eradicated whenever desired by short rotation of crops and thorough cultivation in spring and fall. They are regarded with suspicion as being poisonous and the juice mingled with milk constitutes a fly poison. At one time, however, the plants yielded what was considered a valuable skin lotion.
Plate 22, fig. 11
The flowers of the Little Elephant are pinkish-purple, and the elongated curved tube of the upper petal has a comical resemblance to an elephant’s trunk. The stems grow 4-24 in. tall and are found in swamps and wet meadows at 8000-12000 ft. The flowers are arranged in open spikes and bloom all summer long.
Plate 22, fig. 5
The yellow flowers of the Bladderwort grow on erect branches from submerged stems 1-4 ft. long, and are found in lakes, ponds, etc. at 3000-12000 ft. The Bladderwort receives its name from the tiny black bladders which grow on the submerged, finely divided leaves. These little bladders serve as traps and absorptive organs for tiny animals in the water, and the plants thus live partly on insects, larvae, etc.
Plate 22, fig. 6
The Broom-rape is a parasite and absorbs its food from the roots of its neighbors. This habit accounts for the pale color of both plants and blossoms, since all such robber-plants lose their green food-making matter through disuse. The flowers are violet-tinged and bloom in early summer. The plants may be found in damp woods at 5000-10000 ft.
Plate 23, fig. 1
The Pentstemons or Beard-tongues receive both the scientific name of the genus and the common name from the sterile fifth stamen, which is characteristically very hairy in the Beard-tongues. They are closelyrelated to the Foxglove of the garden, though few of the American species are as yet cultivated. The flowers of the Pink Beard-tongue are rose-purple or pink and grow on stiff stems 1-2 ft. high. They may be found on dry plains, foothills, hills and mountains at 5000-9000 ft. blooming in early summer.
Plate 23, fig. 2
The Dark Pentstemon usually bears wine-colored to nearly black flowers, though sometimes pale yellowish or whitish ones occur. They are ornamented with darker longitudinal stripes and bloom in midsummer in the mountains at 8000-12000 ft. At the higher altitudes the stems are dwarfed and attain no more than 4 in. in height, while ordinarily they grow to 3 ft.
Plate 23, fig. 3
This dainty little Pentstemon carpets the ground with its blue flowers, with here and there a bunch of delicate pink ones, in early and middle summer. The stems grow 6 in.-2 ft. tall on plains and in the mountains at 4000-10000 ft.
Plate 23, fig. 4
The bright red flowers of the Scarlet Bugler are conspicuous on hillsides and mountains at 5000-9000 ft. The stems are usually quite tall, 2-6 ft., and the flowers bloom in early summer. This Pentstemon as well as many others would be a welcome addition to the garden.
Plate 23, fig. 5
The small yellowish to blue-purple and rose-purple flowers of the Clustered Pentstemon grow, as the name indicates, in crowded groups and bloom in early summer. The plants are rather small, being usually but 4-15 in. high. They occur on hills and mountains at 7000-10000 ft.
Plate 23
SNAPDRAGON FAMILY
1Pink Beard-tongue: Pentstemon secundiflorus2Dark Pentstemon: Pentstemon glaucus3Blue Pentstemon: Pentstemon gracilis4Scarlet Bugler: Pentstemon barbatus5Clustered Pentstemon: Pentstemon confertus6Blue Beard-tongue: Pentstemon unilateralis
Plate 23, fig. 6
The blue-purple flowers of the Blue Beard-tongue are large and grow in conspicuous one-sided spikes on stems 2-5 ft. tall. They bloom in midsummer and are found in the mountains at 5500-8000 ft.
Plate 24, fig. 1
The blue flowers of the Skull Cap grow in pairs on leafy stems 4-15 in. high. They bloom in early summer and in fruit the reddish-brown calyx resembles a jockey’s cap rather more than a skull cap. The plants occur on plains, foothills and gravel slides at 5000-10000 ft.
Plate 24, fig. 2
The flowers of the Heal-all are purple or white and bloom from early spring throughout the summer and fall. The stems are decumbent-ascending, 4-12 in. high, and are widely distributed in woods, along roadsides and in wet places at 4000-9000 ft. The Heal-all has a bitter and astringent taste and is somewhat used in medicine.
Plate 24, fig. 3
The tiny pink or lavender flowers of the Brook Mint are clustered in the axils of the paired leaves, and bloom throughout the summer. The plants grow 4-12 in. tall and are widely distributed as a common weed in low ground and wet places, at 4000-8000 ft. Where troublesome as a weed, the Brook Mint can be readily exterminated by thorough cultivation and dragging the soil. It is used to some extent in medicine, and the Klamath Indians make a tea from the leaves. Other mints, such as Peppermint, Spearmint, etc., are among the most highly valued aromatics.
Plate 24
MINT FAMILY
1Skull Cap: Scutellaria resinosa2Heal-all: Prunella vulgaris3Brook Mint: Mentha canadensis4Horse Mint: Monarda fistulosa5Blue Sage: Salvia Pitcheri6Marsh Mint: Stachys palustris8Pennyroyal: Hedeoma Drummondii
VERBENA FAMILY
7Verbena, Vervain: Verbena bracteosa
Plate 24, fig. 4
The pink to rose-purple flowers of the Horse Mint form roundish heads at the tips of stiff stems 3-4 ft. tall. The plants grow in dense clusters in grassy meadows, thickets and on mountain-sides at 3000-9000 ft. The flowers bloom in midsummer and are worth cultivating in the garden. The common name refers to the tall or coarse stems.
Plate 24, fig. 5
The slender stems of the Blue Sage grow 2-6 ft. tall and bear blue or bluish blossoms in terminal spikes. They bloom from midsummer to fall on prairies at 3000-7000 ft. The Red Sage of gardens is a near relative of the Blue Sage, which well deserves cultivation also. Some of the sages are used for making a tea or tonic.
Plate 24, fig. 6
The purplish or reddish blossoms of the Marsh Mint are clustered in the axils of leaves on stems 1-3 ft. high. They bloom in midsummer and are found on moist banks across the continent at 4000-8500 ft. The Marsh Mint is sometimes called “Woundwort” on account of its formerly great reputation for healing wounds. Its surgical value may be doubted, though it certainly is somewhat astringent. It is useful, however, because of its edible roots. These are tuberous andwhen boiled form a wholesome and nutritious food of rather agreeable flavor. The young shoots of the plant may likewise be eaten, being cooked like asparagus, but though pleasant to the taste they have a strong and disagreeable smell.
Plate 24, fig. 8
The tiny blue, pink or purple flowers of the Pennyroyal occur in open spikes on stems 4-8 in. high. They bloom in early and midsummer on dry plains and hills at 5000-7000 ft. The name Pennyroyal has no significance, as it is a corruption of an older name.
Plate 24, fig. 7
The tiny blue to purple flowers of the Verbena are grouped in dense heads on decumbent stems. They bloom all summer on prairies, plains and in waste places at 4000-7500 ft. The garden Verbena is a near relative of the wild Verbena and originally came from Brazil.
Plate 25, fig. 1
The pale to deep pink flowers of the Wild Rose come into bloom in early summer. They grow on shrubs 1-3 ft. high which are found on hills, mountain-sides and in open woods at 5000-10000 ft. The scarlet and crimson fruits of the Wild Rose make the bushes ornamental even after the flowers have passed blooming.