Mount Rainier Part 21

A silky canescent wormwood about one foot high, its leaves pinnate; found on the north side of the mountain by Flett.

=Artemisia richardsoniana= Besser.

In the Synoptical Flora, Vol. II, p. 371, this species is stated to have been collected on Mount Rainier by Tolmie. On the sheet in the Gray Herbarium Dr. Gray has indicated that this is an error, the specimens having really been collected in the Rocky Mountains by Burke.

=CAMPANULACEAE.= (Bellflower Family.)

=Campanula rotundifolia= Linnaeus.

This charming and familiar blue bell is abundant on the cliffs near the foot of Cowlitz Glacier.

=VALERIANACEAE.= (Valerian Family.)

=Valeriana sitchensis= Bongard.

An abundant plant at 4,000 to 6,000 feet alt.i.tude. The leaves are pinnately compound, the rather large leaflets repandly dentate. The flowers are whitish, usually pink tinged. Like other species, this valerian has a decidedly unpleasant odor, that is difficult to compare with any other. To the writer the odor is always a.s.sociated with mountain meadows, doubtless because it so frequently predominates in such places.

=RUBIACEAE.= (Madder Family.)

=Galium triflorum= Michaux.

A very common species of bedstraw which ascends on the lower slopes of the mountain.

=Galium oreganum= Britton.

Goat Mountains, Allen, No. 296.

=SCROPHULARIACEAE.= (Figwort Family.)

=Chelone nemorosa= Douglas.

A handsome plant with opposite serrate leaves and corymbs of purple-red flowers somewhat like those of the foxglove. Dry cliffs and slopes at 5,000 feet alt.i.tude. Also reported by Gorman as occurring at Longmire Springs.

=Pentstemon confertus= Douglas.

A species with entire leaves and dense cl.u.s.ters of small pale yellow flowers. In its typical form the species is one to two feet tall, but on Mount Rainier, where it occurs at from 7,000 to 8,000 feet elevation, it is reduced to two to four inches high, but otherwise not differing from the type.

=Pentstemon procerus= Douglas.

Like the above, but blue flowered. It occurs at 8,000 feet and on Rainier is scarcely two inches tall, while at lower alt.i.tudes it is frequently as many feet high. This dwarf Alpine form has been described by Professor Greene as a new species under the name of _Pentstemon pulch.e.l.lus_. It is an interesting fact that Tolmie long ago collected on Mount Rainier a dwarf species which Hooker named _Pentstemon tolmiei_. But alas, the specimens are in fruit, and it is past finding out now whether his plant was the yellow-flowered or the blue-flowered form. Most likely, however, it was the latter, as that is far more frequent than the yellow-flowered form.

=Pentstemon diffusus= Douglas.

A handsome species with serrate leaves and blue-purple flowers. Mount Rainier, Piper 2068. Goat Mountains, Allen 129.

=Pentstemon ovatus= Douglas.

Much like the preceding plant, differing essentially in the anthers.

Collected by Allen "mountains near the upper valley of the Nisqually,"

and by the writer on the slopes of Mount Rainier.

=Pentstemon menziesii= Hooker.

A dwarf prostrate plant with thickish evergreen toothed leaves and dull purple flowers, abundant on the rocks at 8,000 feet elevation. A variety with the leaves entire instead of denticulate, _P. davidsonii_ Greene, also occurs on the mountain.

=Pentstemon rupicola= (Piper) Howell.

Much like the preceding, but with glaucous leaves and rose-colored larger flowers. The writer found it originally on the perpendicular cliffs, at the limit of trees above "Camp of the Clouds."

=Collinsia tenella= (Pursh) Piper.

Collected by Flett on an old moraine along the Carbon Glacier.

=Mimulus lewisii= Pursh.

Abundant along rills, 4,000 to 5,000 feet alt.i.tude. Easily known by its opposite dentate leaves, viscid p.u.b.escence and rose-purple corollas. The original specimens were collected in Idaho by the Lewis and Clark expedition.

=Mimulus breweri= (Greene) Rydberg.

(_Euna.n.u.s breweri_ Greene.)

A minute species with pale purple flowers, abundant on dry cliffs near "Camp of the Clouds."

=Mimulus alpinus= (Gray) Piper.

(_M. luteus alpinus_ Gray.) (_M. scouleri caespitosus_ Greene.)

A dwarf plant with matted stolons, the bright yellow flowers painting the cliffs wherever there is dripping water. The Mount Rainier plants match closely the original types collected by Dr. Parry in Wyoming, so that Professor Greene's name is clearly a synonym of the earlier one of Gray.

=Veronica alpina= Linnaeus.

A small plant two or three inches high, with several pairs of small, ovate, p.u.b.escent leaves, and a terminal raceme of small blue flowers.

Common at 4,500 to 5,500 feet alt.i.tude.

=Veronica cusickii= Gray.

A very similar plant to the above, but with larger blue flowers and smooth leaves. Abundant just above "Camp of the Clouds."

=Veronica allenii= Greenman.

Much like the preceding species, but with smaller white flowers. A new species discovered by Allen "near Paradise River at 5,400 feet elevation."

=Castilleja miniata= Douglas.

This vivid scarlet "Painted Cup" or "Indian Pink" is easily known by its entire leaves. Not infrequent at 5,000 to 6,000 feet; also occurring at lower alt.i.tudes down to sea-level.