Mount Rainier

Chapter 22

=Castilleja angustifolia hispida= (Bentham) Fernald.

Very similar to the last, but the flower spikes shorter and the leaves cut-lobed. Bear Prairie, Allen.

=Castilleja rupicola= Piper.

Like the last, but smaller, the leaves usually purplish and deeply cut, the flowers intensely scarlet and with very long beaks. On the cliffs on both sides of Sluiskin Falls, whence the original specimens were obtained.

=Castilleja oreopola= Greenman.

The common species of the gra.s.sy slopes, the flowers reddish-purple or occasionally white.

=Pedicularis bracteosa= Bentham.

A tall "lousewort," with fern-like leaves and a long terminal spike of greenish-white flowers. Frequent in wet places up to 5,500 feet alt.i.tude.

=Pedicularis contorta= Douglas.

A yellow-flowered species not rare at 7,000 feet elevation along the Nisqually Glacier. First found by Tolmie on Mount Rainier.

=Pedicularis surrecta= Bentham.

The reddish flowers with long, coiled beaks easily distinguish this plant. Common in wet meadows at 4,000 feet alt.i.tude.

=Pedicularis ornithorhyncha= Bentham.

Much like the preceding but with beakless flowers. Originally described from Mount Rainier specimens collected by Tolmie in 1833, and not again seen until the writer collected them in the same place in 1888. The plant has since been found at two or three places north of Mount Rainier, but all in Washington.

=Pedicularis racemosa= Douglas.

The commonest species, easily known by its half prostrate habit, lanceolate leaves, and short cl.u.s.ters of white or pinkish twisted flowers. Ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 feet elevation.

=PINGUICULACEAE.= (b.u.t.terwort Family.)

=Pinguicula vulgaris= Linnaeus.

The b.u.t.terwort, with its greasy entire leaves in a rosette and solitary violet flowers is not rare on moist cliffs.

=l.a.b.i.aTAE.= (Mint Family.)

=Madronella discolor= Greene.

A very sweet-smelling plant, the only mint as yet found on the mountain. Occurs on the talus of the high cliffs on the north side of Cowlitz Glacier.

=BORAGINACEAE.= (Borage Family.)

=Mertensia laevigata= Piper.

A handsome branched herb, two feet high or more. The large entire leaves and the cl.u.s.ter of small blue tubular flowers make it readily recognizable. Frequent at 4,000 to 5,000 feet alt.i.tude.

=Cryptantha muriculata= (A. De Candolle) Greene.

Goat Mountains, Flett; a small common lowland plant with white flowers.

=HYDROPHYLLACEAE.= (Waterleaf Family.)

=Hydrophyllum albifrons= h.e.l.ler.

(_Hydrophyllum congestum_ Wiegand.)

On the meadows near Van Trump Glacier.

=Romanzoffia sitchensis= Bongard.

A handsome little plant with orbicular coa.r.s.ely dentate leaves and a loose cl.u.s.ter of small white flowers. In habit much like some saxifrages. Rare on wet cliffs near Sluiskin Falls.

=Phacelia nemoralis= Greene.

This plant occurs on rock talus along the north side of Cowlitz Glacier.

=Phacelia sericea= Gray.

A handsome species with silvery leaves and dense cl.u.s.ters of purple flowers. Collected somewhere on the mountain by Rev. E. C. Smith in 1890.

=POLEMONIACEAE.= (Phlox Family.)

=Phlox diffusa= Bentham.

A prostrate plant with acerose leaves, when in bloom forming dense ma.s.ses of pale blue. Common at 5,500 to 6,500 feet alt.i.tude, in rocky soil.

=Gilia gracilis= (Douglas) Hooker.

Growing on an old moraine along Carbon Glacier, Flett.

=Gilia nuttallii= Gray.

A white-flowered species found by Rev. E. C. Smith in 1890 somewhere on the southwest slopes of the mountain.

=Collomia debilis= (Watson) Greene.

Not rare in talus at the base of basalt cliffs on the east side of the mountain at 7,000 feet alt.i.tude.

=Collomia heterophylla= Hooker.

Found by Mr. Gorman on the gravelly banks of the Nisqually at Longmire Springs; also by Flett; a common lowland plant.

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