Part 2

Plants without leaves. Parasitic on branches or stems of evergreens. =Loranthaceæ.= Not parasitic on trees; roots coral-like. (_Corallorhiza_) =Orchidaceæ.= Plants with leaves. _Leaves parallel-veined._ (A) Flowers small, collected on a spadix. =Araceæ.= (B) Flowers not collected on a spadix. *Flowers regular; corolla lobes 6; stamens 6. (_a_) Leaves grass-like, mostly at the base. Flowers white or greenish. =Melanthaceæ.= Flowers pink. (_Allium_). =Liliaceæ.= Flowers blue. (_Sisyrinchium_). =Iridaceæ.= (_b_) Leaves not grass-like, mostly on the stem. Flowers white or pink. =Convallariaceæ.= Flowers green. =Melanthaceæ.= Flowers yellow or orange. =Liliaceæ.= Flowers red or wine-color. (_Kruhsea_.) =Convallariaceæ.= **Flowers irregular, frequently with broad or inflated lip and spur. =Orchidaceæ.= _Leaves not parallel-veined._ (A) Flowers small, in close heads surrounded by an involucre. Flowers all alike, florets ligulate. =Cichoriaceæ.= Flowers not alike, central ones tubular, marginal usually with rays. =Carduaceæ.= (B) Flowers in umbels at the ends of the stems or branches. Umbels broad, flat or nearly so, flowers white, yellow, or purple. =Apiaceæ.= Umbels round. Flowers greenish; leaves compound. =Araliaceæ.= Flowers white or pink; leaves simple. (_Eriogonum_.) =Polygonaceæ.= (C) Flowers not in umbels. *Flowers regular. (_a_) Flowers with 2 sepals and 5 petals; corolla pink. =Portulacaceæ.= (_b_) Flowers with 3 sepals and 3 petals; seeds triangular. =Polygonaceæ.=

(_c_) Flowers with 4 sepals and 4 petals. Stem angular; leaves in whorls. =Rubiaceæ.= Stem round; leaves not in whorls. Stamens 6, erect. =Brassicaceæ.= Stamens 8, spreading. =Onagraceæ.= (_d_) Flowers with 5 sepals or petals, distinct. †Stamens as many or twice as many as the corolla lobes. Stems swollen at the nodes. =Caryophyllaceæ.= Stems not swollen at the nodes. Stem leaves numerous, entire, thin; flowers in terminal or axillary clusters, white or greenish. =Santalaceæ.= Leaves basal, entire; flowers solitary on a 1-leaved scape. =Parnassiaceæ.= Leaves mostly basal, lobed or cut; flowers in a close spike or head. =Saxifragaceæ.= Leaves and stems fleshy. Follicles 2. =Saxifragaceæ.= Follicles 4. =Crassulaceæ.= Leaves numerous, stiff, awl-shaped; stems low, tufted. =Saxifragaceæ.= ††Stamens more than twice as many as the corolla lobes. §Leaves basal or mostly so. Leaves evergreen, simple or lobed, flowers yellow or white, solitary on naked scapes. (_Dryas._) =Rosaceæ.= Leaves not evergreen, simple, lobed, or much divided. Smooth. Stems erect or floating. =Ranunculaceæ.= Stems creeping. Flowers white or pink. =Rosaceæ.= Flowers yellow. =Ranunculaceæ.= Rough-hairy. Flowers yellow or pink. =Rosaceæ.= Flowers white, blue or purple. =Ranunculaceæ.= §§Leaves mostly on the stem. Leaves finely cut; stems creeping; flowers white. =Rosaceæ.= Leaves entire. Leaves bright green, black-dotted; flowers yellow. =Hypericaceæ.= Leaves glaucous, without black dots; flowers blue. =Linaceæ.= (_e_) Flowers with 5 sepals and 5 united petals or lobes. †Stamens 3; flowers small, in terminal clusters. =Valerianaceæ.= ††Stamens 5. Opposite to the corolla lobes. =Primulaceæ.= Alternate with the corolla lobes. Stems smooth, leafy; corolla campanulate. Stem leaves broad; flowers pink. =Apocynaceæ.=

Stem leaves narrow; flowers blue. =Campanulaceæ.= Stems rough-hairy. Corolla salver-form; stamens included. =Boraginaceæ.= Corolla tubular; stamens exserted. =Hydrophyllacæ.=

†††Stamens 10; flowers mostly in terminal heads or singly. =Pyrolaceæ.= **Flowers irregular. (_a_) Leaves all entire and basal, forming rosettes; flowers blue. =Lentibulariaceæ.= (_b_) Leaves all heart-shaped; flowers blue, white or yellow. =Violaceæ.= (_c_) Leaves not heart-shaped, simple or much cut, not pinnate. Stems square; flowers in close verticels in the axils of the leaves or in terminal heads. =Menthaceæ.= Stems round; flowers numerous in elongated terminal leafy heads or few on slender stems in the axils of the upper leaves. =Scrophulariaceæ.= (_d_) Leaves palmate; flowers blue in elongated spikes. =Ranunculaceæ.= (_e_) Leaves pinnately divided; flowers pea-like. =Papilionaceæ.= (_f_) Leaves compoundly lobed, not pinnate. Stems low, spreading, flowers small in dense terminal or axillary spikes. =Papaveraceæ.= Stems erect; flowers drooping in open terminal heads, either showy and spurred or not showy and without spurs; leaves maiden-hair fern-like. =Ranunculaceæ.=

Alpine Flora of the Canadian Rocky Mountains

OPHIOGLOSSACEÆ

_Adder’s-Tongue Family_

More or less succulent fern-like plants, consisting of a stem and leaf growing from a fleshy root. Sporophyll in the form of a spike or panicle.

[Sidenote: =Botrychium lunaria= (L.) Sw. _Moon-wort._]

Very fleshy, 2—12 inches high. Leaf usually sessile, borne at or above the middle of the stem, pinnate with 2—8 pairs of moon-like or fan-shaped lobes which vary from crenate to entire and either close and folded together or distant; spore-bearing portion 2—3 pinnate, often dense, 1—2 inches long, about as high as the leaf.

In open or exposed situations, frequently on the tops of the highest mountains, rather rare; occurring in midsummer.

[Sidenote: =Botrychium simplex= E. Hitchcock. _Small Moon-wort._]

Plant 2—6 inches high, slender and very variable. Leaf ovate, obovate or oblong, entire, lobed or pinnately parted, borne near the base of the stem; spore-bearing portion a simple or slightly compound spike, sometimes reduced to only a few sporanges; apex of the leaf and spore-bearing portion erect in fruit.

In alpine meadows or grassy slopes, frequently through the Rockies but very inconspicuous; during summer.

[Sidenote: =Botrychium virginianum= (L.) Sw. _Virginia Grape Fern._]

Stem slender, 4 inches to 2 feet high. Leaf thin, ternately divided and spreading 3—12 inches across, pinnately much divided into oblong-toothed segments; spore-bearing portion long-stalked, much above the leaf 2—3 pinnate, cinnamon brown, when ripe.

In rich moist woods, sparingly throughout the region during the summer.

POLYPODIACEÆ

_Fern Family_

Ferns of various habits, the rootstocks horizontal, often elongated or short and erect; the leaves simple, pinnate, pinnatifid or decompound, coiled at the ends when young. Sporanges borne in clusters (_sori_) on the lower side or margins of the leaves or their segments, with or without a membranous covering (_indusium_).

Represented in the region by the following 10 genera.

Sori without indusia, leaves 2—3 pinnate or ternate. =Phegopteris.= Sori with marginal indusia formed by the more or less altered edge of the leaf. Sporanges at the ends of the veins, borne on a reflexed portion of the leaf. =Adiantum.= Sporanges on a continuous vein-like receptacle which connects the apices of the veins. =Pteridium.=

Sporanges at or near the ends of the unconnected veins. Leaves of two kinds, the spore-bearing ones contracted and more or less pod-like. =Cryptogramma.= Leaves uniform; sori minute, indusium usually interrupted. =Cheilanthes.= Sori not marginal, provided with spinal indusia. Sori oblong on oblique veins; leaves pinnate. =Asplenium.= Sori round. Indusium conspicuous. Leaves firm; indusium peltate. =Polystichum.= Leaves membranous; indusium reniform. =Dryopteris.= Indusium inconspicuous. Indusium under the sorus, stellately divided. =Woodsia.= Indusium hooded, fixed by a broad base. =Filix.=

[Sidenote: =Phegopteris alpestris= (Hoppe) Mett. _Western Beech Fern._]

Rootstock short, thick, erect or oblique; stems 4—10 inches long with a few brown spreading scales near the base; leaves 1—2 feet long, oblong-lanceolate, thrice pinnate, the pinnæ deltoid-lanceolate, the lower ones distant and smaller, pinnules oblong-lanceolate, finely cut-toothed; sori small, rounded and nearly marginal.

On moist banks in the Selkirks, frequent especially in the vicinity of Glacier, where it forms clumps of considerable diameter, up to 7000 feet elevation.

[Sidenote: =Phegopteris Phegopteris= (L.) Underw. _Long Beech Fern._]

Rootstock slender and creeping; stems 6—9 inches long; leaves triangular, thin, usually longer than broad, 6—9 inches long, 4—6 inches broad, hairy on the veins, especially beneath; pinnæ linear-lanceolate, the lowest pair deflexed and standing forward, segments oblong, obtuse, entire, the basal ones joined to the main rachis; sori small, near the margin.

In moist woods in the Selkirks at the lower elevations, not common.

[Sidenote: =Phegopteris Dryopteris= (L.) Fée. _Oak Fern._]

Rootstock slender, extensively creeping; leaves or short black stipes, broadly triangular 4—8 inches wide, the three primary divisions 1—2 pinnate, segments oblong, obtuse, entire or toothed; sori near the margin.

In moist woods and thickets throughout the region at the lower altitudes, frequently forming beds of considerable size.

[Sidenote: =Adiantum pedatum= L. _Maidenhair Fern._]

Rootstock slender, creeping; stems 9—18 inches long, dark chestnut brown or nearly black, shining, forked into nearly equal branches at the summit; leaves obliquely orbicular in outline, 8—18 inches broad, thin, the pinnæ arising from the branches of the stem, somewhat radiately arranged, the larger ones 6—10 inches long, 1—2 inches broad, pinnules triangular-oblong, or the terminal one fan-shaped, the lower margin entire and slightly curved, the upper cut, bearing the linear-oblong sori.

Sparingly throughout the region in woods or moist shaded situations, among rocks.

[Sidenote: =Pteridium aquilinum pubescens= Underw. _Bracken._]

Rootstock stout, widely creeping, subterranean; stems hairy, 1—2 feet high, erect, straw-colored or brownish, leaves soft-hairy, especially on the under surface, 2—4 feet long, 1—3 feet wide, ternate, the three branches each bipinnate, the upper pinnules undivided, the lower more or less pinnatifid.

In dry woods, thickets, and open hillsides, throughout the region.

[Sidenote: =Cryptogramma acrostichoides= R. Br. _American Rock-brake._]

Rootstock stout, short, and chaffy; stems densely tufted, straw-colored, 2—6 inches long, very slender, chaffy below; leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate in outline, thin, smooth, 2—3 pinnate, the sterile shorter than the fertile, their segments and pinnules crowded, ovate-oblong or obovate, crenate or slightly sharply cut; fertile leaves with linear or linear-oblong segments half an inch long, the margins at first rolled back to the midrib, at maturity expanded and exposing the light brown sporanges.

Forming tufts among rocks throughout the region but most frequent in the Selkirks.

[Sidenote: =Cryptogramma Stelleri= (S. G. Gmel.) Prantl. _Slender Cliff-brake_.]

Rootstock slender, creeping, thread-like; stems slender, scattered 2—3 inches long, dark brown; leaves thin, ovate in outline 2—5 inches long, 1—2 inches wide, 2—3 pinnate or pinnatifid above, the fertile taller, with narrower pinnules and segments, pinnæ lanceolate-deltoid, cut to the rachis, in few lobed or entire segments; indusium broad; veins conspicuous.

In crevices of damp or dripping rocks, preferably limestone, in the Rockies up to 7000 feet elevation; not common.

[Sidenote: =Cheilanthes Féei= Moore. _Hairy Lip Fern._]

Rootstock creeping, covered with pale rusty-brown scales; stems tufted, wiry, chestnut brown, 2—4 inches long, hairy; leaves oblong-lanceolate in outline 4—9 inches long, gradually attenuate to the apex, twice pinnate; pinnules somewhat distant, lanceolate-deltoid, acute, deeply pinnatifid or incised, more or less covered with stiff hairs and usually somewhat glandular; sori numerous, covered by the infolded ends of the rounded oblong lobes.

On rocks and among broken stones at the lower altitudes of the eastern Rockies; growing in matted masses.

[Sidenote: =Asplenium viride= Huds. _Green Spleenwort._]

Rootstock stout, creeping, chaffy with brown scales; stems numerous, densely tufted, brownish below, green above; leaves linear-lanceolate, 2—8 inches long, once pinnate, pale green, with 12—20 pairs of ovate or rhomboid, crenate; obtuse, unequal-sided pinnules; sori oblong, numerous, or scattered.

On dry rocks and slides, frequent through the Rockies.

[Sidenote: =Asplenium Filix-fœmina= (L.) Bernh. _Lady Fern._]

Rootstock creeping, rather slender for the size of the plant; stems tufted, 6—10 inches long; straw-colored, brownish or reddish, with scattered brown scales which are large and numerous at the broadened base; leaves broadly oblong-lanceolate, pinnæ lanceolate, acuminate, 4—8 inches long; pinnules lanceolate, incised or serrate, sori short, the indusia straight or variously curved.

In moist woods and thickets throughout the region but especially in the Selkirks, being a common fern in the woods in the vicinity of Glacier.

[Sidenote: =Polystichum Lonchitis= (L.) Roth. _Holly Fern._]

Rootstock short, stout, and densely chaffy; stems 1—5 inches long, bearing large dark brown scales, with some smaller ones; leaves rigid, leathery, and evergreen, narrowly lanceolate in outline, once pinnate; pinnæ broadly lanceolate, scythe-shaped, 1—2 inches long, acute or acuminate at the apex, with an ear-like projection on the upper side at the base, and with a nearly straight edge on the lower, densely spiny-toothed; sori large, nearer the margin than the midrib.

In large tufts among rocks throughout the region.

[Sidenote: =Dryopteris Filix-mas= (L.) Schott. _Male Fern._]

Rootstock stout, ascending, or erect, chaffy; stems 4—6 inches long, very chaffy below; leaves broadly lanceolate, acute or acuminate at the apex, slightly narrowed at the base, 1—3 feet long, rather firm, half evergreen, pinnate or partly 2-pinnate; pinnæ lanceolate, broadest at the base, gradually acuminate, 3—6 inches long, pinnatifid almost to the rachis, or pinnately divided into oblong, smooth lobes; sori large, borne near the margin, more numerous on the lower halves of the segments.

In rocky woods in the Selkirks on the lower slopes of Mt. Macdonald.

[Sidenote: =Dryopteris spinulosa dilatata= (Hoffm.) Underw. _Spinulose Shield Fern._]

Rootstock stout, chaffy; stems 6—18 inches long, bearing large brown scales with dark centres; leaves broadly ovate or triangular-ovate, commonly 3-pinnate; pinnules lanceolate oblong, the lowest often much elongated; sori medium size; indusium smooth.

In moist woods through the Selkirks, probably the most abundant fern in the vicinity of Glacier.

[Sidenote: =Dryopteris oreopteris= (Sw.) Maxon.]

Rootstock short, erect or decumbent, scaly; stems light straw-colored, 2—6 inches long, tufted, copiously scaly throughout, with light brown scales; leaves 1½—2 feet long, rather firm, broadly lanceolate, gradually tapering from near the middle to both ends; pinnæ 2—3 inches long, deeply pinnatifid, gradually shorter to the lowest which are more distant, broadly triangular, and less than an inch long; segments flat, oblong, and nearly entire; rachis straw-colored, densely scaly with light brown scales, nearly to the apex.

In the Selkirks on the moist mountain slopes and rocky ravines at Glacier.

[Sidenote: =Woodsia scopulina= D. C. Eaton. _Rocky Mountain Woodsia._]

Rootstock short, creeping, and densely chaffy; stems brown, darker at the base, 2—4 inches long, glandular-hairy; leaves mostly glandular-hairy throughout, lanceolate, 6—12 inches long, tapering from about the middle to both ends; pinnæ numerous, oblong-ovate, pinnatifid into oblong-toothed segments; sori nearly marginal.

In crevices in the rocks and among broken stones on slides, throughout the Rockies, up to an elevation of 7000 feet; frequent.

[Sidenote: =Woodsia oregana= D. C. Eaton. _Oregon Woodsia._]

Rootstock short; stems smooth, brownish below. Leaves smooth, 2—10 inches long, lanceolate; pinnæ triangular, oblong, obtuse, pinnatifid, lower ones rounded and somewhat remote from the others; rachis straw-colored; pinnules oblong-ovate, dentate or crenate, the teeth often turned back and covering the submarginal sori.

Among broken stones on the slides near the base of Mt. Stephen in the Rockies.

[Sidenote: =Filix fragilis= (L.) Underw. _Brittle Fern._]

Rootstock short; stems 4—8 inches long, leaves thin, smooth throughout, oblong-lanceolate, only slightly tapering below, 4—10 inches long; pinnate or 2—3 pinnatifid; pinnæ lanceolate-ovate, irregularly pinnatifid with a broad central space, and bluntly or sharply toothed segments, decurrent along the margined or winged rachis; sori small, half way between the margin and the midrib; indusium narrow, soon withering.

In crevices in rocks and among broken stones throughout the Rockies.

[Sidenote: =Filix montana= (Lam.) Underw.]

Rootstock slender, widely creeping; stipes 6—9 inches long, slender; leaves deltoid-ovate, 3—4 pinnate, 3—6 inches broad, the lowest pinnæ triangular-lanceolate and much larger, their inferior pinnules 1—1½ inches long, deeply divided into oblong lobes, deeply toothed; sori numerous; indusium acute, soon withering.

On damp mossy banks and rocks throughout the Rockies; not common.

EQUISETACEÆ

_Horsetail Family_

Green, rush-like plants with usually hollow, jointed, simple or often much branched stems, rising from subterranean rootstocks; the branches verticillate.

Leaves reduced to toothed sheaths; sporanges clustered beneath the scales of terminal, cone-like spikes.

[Sidenote: =Equisetum arvense= L. _Field Horsetail._]

Stems annual, the fertile appearing in early spring before the sterile; fertile stems 4—10 inches high, soon withering, light brown, their loose sheaths mostly distant, whitish, ending in about 12 brown acuminate teeth; sterile stems green, much branched and slender, 2 inches to 2 feet high with numerous, mostly simple, 4-angled solid branches with 4-toothed sheaths.

In moist sandy soil throughout the region, frequent in wet woods and swampy places.

[Sidenote: =Equisetum sylvaticum= L. _Wood Horsetail._]

Stems annual, the fertile appearing in early spring before the sterile, at first simple, at length much branched, resembling the sterile except in the withered apex; stems 8—20 inches high, producing verticillate compound branches which are curved downward; sheaths loose and cylindric, those of the stem whitish, with 8—14 rather blunt brown teeth.

In moist sandy woods and thickets in the Selkirks, not common.

[Sidenote: =Equisetum fluviatile= L. _Swamp Horsetail._]

Stems annual, all alike, 2—4 feet high, bluish-green, smooth, usually producing upright branches after the spores are formed; sheaths appressed with about 18 dark brown or nearly black, short acute teeth.

In sloughs and shallow ponds throughout the region, frequent.

[Sidenote: =Equisetum hyemale= L. _Common Scouring rush._]

Stems stiff, evergreen, 2—4 feet high, rough, 8—34-furrowed, the ridges with two distinct lines of tubercles; sheaths rather long, cylindric, marked with one or two black girdles, teeth dark brown or nearly black and membranous, soon deciduous; spikes tipped with a rigid point.

In wet places and on banks and slides in the valley of the Kicking Horse River.

[Sidenote: =Equisetum variegatum= Schl. _Variegated Equisetum._]

Stems perennial, slender, evergreen, 6—18 inches long, rough, usually simple from a branched base, commonly tufted, 5—10 furrowed; sheaths companulate, distinctly 4-keeled, green variegated with black above; the teeth 5—10, each tipped with a deciduous bristle.

In moist, sandy soil throughout the region up to an elevation of 7000 feet, sometimes forming large patches.

[Sidenote: =Equisetum scirpoides= Michx.]

Stems perennial, evergreen, very slender, 3—6 inches long, rough, flexuous and curving, growing in tufts closely matted to the ground, mostly 6-furrowed with acute ridges, simple or branching from near the base; sheaths black, with three membranous rather persistent bristle-tipped teeth.

On moist sandy shaded banks throughout the Rockies.

LYCOPODIACEÆ

_Club-moss Family_

Branching, moss-like plants with small lanceolate or subulate, sometimes oblong or roundish simple leaves, arranged in two or many ranks on trailing or sometimes erect, usually branched stems.

Sporanges solitary in the axils of the leaves or on their upper surfaces.

[Sidenote: =Lycopodium Selago= L. _Fir Club-moss._]

Stems usually yellowish throughout, 3—6 inches high, thick, rigid, erect, 2—5 times forked, the branches forming a level topped cluster; leaves crowded, uniform, ascending, elongated, lanceolate with a spiny tip, the upper mostly 8-ranked and sterile, those below bearing small sporanges in their axils, leaves of the lower half of the stems again sterile; plant propagated also by enlarged bud-like organs.

Throughout the region in alpine meadows and slopes above 6000 feet elevation.

[Sidenote: =Lycopodium annotinum= L. _Stiff Club-moss._]

Stems much branched, slender, prostrate and creeping, rather stiff, 1—4 feet long, the branches similar, ascending 5—8 inches high, sparingly forked; leaves uniform, spreading, 5-ranked, rigid, linear-lanceolate, minutely serrulate, nerved below, spikes solitary or several at the ends of the branches, oblong, cylindric 1—1½ inches long, composed of ovate or ovate-cordate, short-acuminate and denticulate bracts, each with a sporange in its axil.

In woods throughout the region, frequent.

[Sidenote: =Lycopodium clavatum= L. _Running Pine._]

Stems extensively creeping, 1—4 feet long with similar short, irregular ascending or decumbent, densely leafy branches; leaves much crowded, many-ranked, incurved, linear-subulate, bristle-tipped, the lower denticulate, the upper nearly entire or slightly decurrent on either side; spikes 1—4 on long peduncles; bracts membranous, roundish, and irregularly denticulate below.

In dry woods and open grounds, rather rare in the region, observed only in the Selkirks around Glacier and Roger’s Pass.

[Sidenote: =Lycopodium sitchensis= Rupr. _Arctic Club-moss._]

Stems prostrate, 8—12 inches long, on or a little beneath the surface; sending up frequent branched stems which form compact masses of vertical, compressed branches 2—3 inches high, with occasional stronger, spike-bearing branches; leaves lanceolate with a broad base, spreading and curving upwards, thick, entire, acute, in five rows on the branchlets; the spikes nearly sessile.

On grassy alpine slopes 6000 feet and upwards in the Selkirks, especially in the region about Glacier.

[Sidenote: =Lycopodium complanatum= L. _Trailing Christmas-green._]

Stems extensively creeping, with erect or ascending reinform or fan-shaped branches, several times forked above with crowded flattened branchlets; leaves minute, overlapping, flattened, 4-ranked, the lateral row with somewhat spreading tips; peduncle slender, 2—6 inches high, forked, bearing 2—4 linear-cylindric spikes, bracts broadly ovate, acuminate, with pale irregularly cut margins.

In mossy woods at the lower altitudes, more or less frequent throughout the region, especially in the Rockies.

[Sidenote: =Lycopodium alpinum= L. _Alpine Club-moss._]

Stems prostrate, 8—20 inches long on or near the surface of the ground, forming numerous, several times branched clusters 2—3 inches high with glaucous leaves, and occasional stouter, compressed spike-bearing stems, extending above the others; leaves 4-ranked, erect, flattened, those of the lateral rows two to three times larger than those intermediate; spikes sessile, few, ½—¾ of an inch long.

In alpine meadows, on slopes, and in open woods throughout the region from 6000 feet upwards.

SELAGINELLACEÆ

_Selaginella Family_

Moss-like plants with branching stems and scale-like leaves which are many ranked and uniform, or 4-ranked and of two types spreading in two planes. Sporanges solitary in the axils of the leaves which are so arranged as to form more or less quadrangular spikes.

[Sidenote: =Selaginella selaginoides= (L.) Link. _Low Selaginella._]

Sterile stems, prostrate and creeping, small and slender; fertile stems thicker, ascending, simple 1—3 inches high; leaves lanceolate, acute, spreading, sparsely spinulose-ciliate; spikes solitary at the ends of the fertile branches, bracts lax, ascending lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, strongly fringed.

A light green moss-like plant growing in wet sandy grounds in the Rockies; not infrequent.

[Sidenote: =Selaginella densa= Rydb.]

Densely tufted sterile branches very short and crowded; leaves, densely crowded, many-ranked linear or needle-shaped in age, slightly flattened and grooved on the upper side, the margin fringed, tipped with a white bristle; fertile branches erect, the spikes quadrangular ½—¾ of an inch long, bracts folded together, thick, triangular-ovate, fringed on the margin and tipped with a white bristle half as long as that of the leaves.

In sterile dry ground and on exposed rocks throughout the region from the bases to the tops of the highest mountains, forming grayish-green mats on the ground.

PINACEÆ.

_Pine Family_

Resinous trees and shrubs mostly with evergreen, narrow, entire or scale-like leaves; the pollen sacks and ovules borne in separate spikes; fruit a cone with numerous, several or few, woody, papery or fleshy scales, sometimes berry-like; seed wingless or winged.

Scales of the fruit numerous, alternate; leaf-buds scaly.

Leaves in clusters. Clusters ensheathed at the base, containing 2, 3, or 5 leaves. =Pinus.= Clusters not ensheathed at the base containing many leaves. =Larix.= Leaves solitary. Cones erect; scales deciduous. =Abies.= Cones pendent; scales persistent. Branchlets smooth; bracts 3-toothed. =Pseudotsuga.= Branchlets roughened by the persistent leaf bases. Leaves petioled, not pungent. =Tsuga.= Leaves sessile, pungent. =Picea.=

Scales of the fruit few, opposite; leaf-buds naked. Fruit fleshy and berry-like. =Juniperus.= Fruit a dry cone. =Thuja.=

[Sidenote: =Pinus albicaulis= Engelm. _White-bark Pine._]

A tree 20 or 30 feet high generally with a short trunk 2—4 feet in diameter, stout, very flexible branches, often standing nearly erect and forming an open irregular broad head; often a low shrub and nearly prostrate at high altitudes; bark thin with creamy-white plate-like scales; leaves stout, rigid, slightly incurved, clustered at the ends of the branches 1½—2½ inches long; cones oval or subglobose horizontal, sessile, dark purple, 1½—3 inches long with thickened acute scales.

[Illustration: Pinus albicaulis Engelm. (¼ Nat.) White Pine.]

[Illustration: Pinus Murrayana Oreg. Com. (¼ Nat.) Jack Pine.]

On alpine slopes and exposed ridges from 5000 feet elevation upward, occurring occasionally in the Rockies, but frequent throughout the Selkirks at or near the timber line.

[Sidenote: =Pinus Murrayana= Oreg. Com. _Black Pine, Jack Pine._]

A tree 40—80 feet high with a trunk 1—3 feet in diameter, slender, strict; branches frequently persistent nearly to the base of the stem, somewhat pendulous below, ascending near the top of the tree, forming a pyramidal spire-topped head; bark thin, close, light orange-brown with appressed scales; leaves 2 in a bundle, yellowish-green, 1—3 inches long, stout; cones yellowish-brown and shining oval to sub-cylindric oblique at the base, often clustered ¾—2 inches long, with slightly concave scales with slender deciduous prickles.

The most abundant tree at the lower altitudes throughout the Rockies, frequently covering vast tracts, and rising on the mountain sides to 6000 feet or occasionally higher.

[Sidenote: =Larix Lyallii= Parl. _Lyall’s Larch._]