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Copyright, 1915
by
MARGARET ARMSTRONG

The Knickerbocker Press, NYC

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In this little book, a large number of the common wildflowers found in the United States, west of the Rocky Mountains, are illustrated and described. It's the first effort to create a popular field guide for the entire West. The area is extensive, encompassing various climates and soils, and producing thousands of flowers, each unique and stunning, often in environments as distinct as those in Heine's Pine and Palm. In unusual places like the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest of Arizona, or the deserts of Utah and Southern California, we encounter fascinating desert plants that have developed clever ways to survive in almost constant heat and drought. Yet, they often showcase blossoms so vibrant and delicate that they could easily outshine their luckier counterparts thriving by cool waterfalls in a “happy valley” like Yosemite, or in a gorgeous mountain garden filled with colorful blooms around Mt. Rainier. On the windblown plains, you can find hundreds of flowers; various hardy plants add color to the salty edges of sea cliffs or flower at the snowline on rocky mountain peaks, while many humble, everyday flowers line our country roadsides or color the hills and meadows with abundant hues.

The area includes the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, and in this book, we refer to this entire area as the West. The term Northwest refers to Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho, and northern California, while the Southwest encompasses southern California and Arizona. The flowers that are exclusive to the Rocky Mountains are not included, and it's worth mentioning that very few of the western flowers make it across the Rockies to the East. iv

This is the only fully illustrated book of western flowers, aside from Miss Parsons's lovely book, which is only for California. The drawings were all created from real-life observations. Keep in mind that there may be differences in appearance due to location, and refer to the text for size, as some of the plants must be drawn smaller than others on such a small page.

Almost all technical botanical terms have been translated into everyday English, since this book is mainly for the general public, but many of the plants included have never been illustrated or described anywhere except in somewhat hard-to-reach or technical publications. Therefore, it’s hoped that scientists will also find the content interesting and useful.

The naming convention used, with a few exceptions, follows the American Code. Where these names differ significantly from common usage, the latter are provided as synonyms in brackets, making the book more helpful to all readers. The botanical names have an accent. Two types of accents are used: the grave (`) indicates the long English vowel sound, like the "i" in "violet," and the acute (´) shows the short sound, like the "i" in "lily."

Professor J. J. Thornber from the University of Arizona is responsible for the botanical accuracy of the text, and his knowledge and patience have made this book possible.

Thanks go out for the invaluable help in identifying a significant number of specimens to Miss Alice Eastwood, of the California Academy of Sciences. Also to Dr. W. L. Jepson of the University of California; Professor A. O. Garrett, of Salt Lake City; Professor A. R. Sweetser, of the University of Oregon; Mr. S. B. Parish, of San Bernardino, CA; Mrs. Henshaw, of Vancouver, B.C.; Dr. A. Davidson, of Los Angeles; and Mr. Marcus E. Jones, of Salt Lake City. And for advice and support to Dr. N. L. Britton, and Dr. H. M. Richards of New York; to Dr. Livingston Farrand, of Colorado; Mr. C. R. Orcutt, of San Diego; Mr. Carl Purdy, of Ukiah, CA; Professor Flett, of Mt. Rainier National Park; Miss Winona Bailey, of Seattle; Professor J. H. Paul, of Salt Lake City; and many other kind friends.

The setup comes from Mr. Schuyler Mathews in his Field Book of American Wild Flowers, v which has become quite popular in the East. However, in this book, most of the genera and species are described very briefly.

Margaret Armstrong.

New York,
January 1, 1915. vi

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Corolla. The flower cup made up of one or more sections known as petals.

Petal. A part of the flower’s corolla.

Calyx. A flower cover, usually green, made up of several parts called sepals, which protect the bud.

Sepal. One of the parts of the calyx.

Anther. The pollen-producing part, usually yellow.

Filament. The stalk that supports the anther.

Stamen. Anther and filament together.

Ovary. The organ that produces eggs.

Inferior ovary. With the flower parts growing from above the ovary.

Superior ovary. With the flower parts growing from below the ovary.

Placenta. That specific part of the ovary wall where the ovules are connected.

Ovule. The part in the ovary that turns into a seed.

Style. The stem-like structure that comes from the ovary and ends with the stigma.

Stigma. The usually sticky and occasionally branched end of the pistil where pollination occurs.

Pistil. Ovary, style, and stigma.

Regular Flower. Usually symmetrical and consistent in the number of its parts.

Perfect Flower. A flower that has all the usual parts.

Male. With stamens and without pistils.

Pistillate. With pistils and no stamens.

Polygamous. Female, male, and perfect flowers on the same or on different plants.

Claw. The thin or stem-like base of certain petals.

Pedicel. The stem of a flower in a group. xiv

Raceme. A cluster of flowers where the flowers are attached along the flower stalk on pedicels that are almost the same length.

Spike. A cluster of flowers where the flowers have no stems and are arranged closely along the flower stalk.

Bracts. Small scale-like structures.

Involucre. A ring of bracts beneath a cluster of flowers.

Stipule. Small, often leaf-like structures found at the base of the leaf.

Capsule. A dry seed container made up of multiple sections that opens up.

Akene. A small, dry, one-seeded fruit that doesn't split open. xv

1

FIELD GUIDE
TO
WESTERN WILD FLOWERS

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A relatively small family, found in various places, thriving in freshwater swamps and streams. The leaves come from the root, with long sheathing leaf stalks, and the flowers are symmetrical and perfect, or have only pistils or only stamens; there are three sepals; three petals; six or more stamens; and many superior ovaries that develop into dry, single-seeded nutlets.

There are many types of Sagittaria, featuring fibrous roots and milky sap; the leaves are typically shaped like arrows. The lower flowers are usually female, while the upper ones are typically male; there are many stamens, and the numerous ovaries are packed closely together, forming rounded clusters. The name comes from the Latin word for "arrow," which refers to the shape of the leaves.

An attractive and decorative plant, with sturdy, smooth, hollow flower stems that range from eight inches to four feet tall, featuring beautiful, smooth, olive-green leaves and papery bracts. The flowers are about an inch wide, with delicately crumpled white petals and yellow anthers, creating a bright golden center, and the plants look lovely along the edges of ponds. The leaves vary greatly in both size and shape. This plant is found throughout North America. The tubers are edible, which is why it’s often called Tule Potato, and they are commonly eaten by Chinese people in California. The Indian name is Wapato.

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A beautifully diverse family, mostly made up of perennial herbs, growing from bulbs or root systems, featuring perfect, regular, symmetrical flowers and smooth leaves. The flower cup typically has six sections, with the outer parts often referred to as sepals and the inner parts as petals. There are six stamens positioned opposite the sections, and sometimes three of them lack anthers. There are three styles or stigmas, and the ovary is at the top, developing into a three-chambered capsule or berry that can contain few or many seeds.

There are several types of Anthericum, which are small, lily-like plants with grass-like leaves that grow from the base and are surrounded by the fibrous remnants of older leaves. The slender stems are usually leafless, or they might have one very small, dry leaf; the roots are thick and fleshy-fibrous. The flowers are yellow and have pedicels that are jointed near the middle; the style is long and slender, and the pod is oblong, containing several flattened, angular seeds in each cell. These plants are common in rocky soil at altitudes ranging from six thousand to nine thousand feet, from western Texas to Arizona.

A lovely little plant with delicate flowers, striking and pretty in color. It grows between eight to fifteen inches tall and has a slender, pale-green stem rising from a cluster of graceful, light bluish-green, grass-like leaves. The flowers are about three-quarters of an inch long, pale orange or golden-yellow, with a narrow stripe on each petal; the pistil is green with an orange stigma; the anthers are yellow. The flowers fade almost immediately after blooming. This plant grows in open woods.

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There are several types of Zygadene, found in North America and Siberia. They typically have bulbous bases that look like onions and produce white or greenish flowers in clusters. The leaves are long, smooth, and folded lengthwise, mostly growing from the root. The flowers can be perfect or polygamous, with six similar parts and one or two greenish, glandular spots at the base of each. There are three distinct styles, and the fruit is a three-lobed capsule with several or many seeds in each compartment. The name comes from the Greek words for "yoke" and "gland," because some varieties have a couple of glands on each part of the flower.

A sturdy, pretty plant, about a foot tall, with bright light green, smooth, elegant leaves wrapping around the stem, which has a paper-like bract at its base. The flowers are arranged in clusters that vary in shape, sometimes forming a long, loose raceme and other times a tighter, pointed cluster. The segments of the relatively small, cream-white flowers have short claws, with a yellow gland and a stamen at the base of each. The stamens stand out, featuring swinging, yellow, shield-shaped anthers, and are initially longer than the three styles, which gradually lengthen, creating a delicate, feathery look for the entire flower cluster. This plant thrives on dry hillsides and in meadows. The bulb is highly poisonous.

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A beautiful, elegant plant with one or more stiff stems that range from six inches to three feet tall, rising from a large bunch of stiff, bluish-green leaves covered with a light "bloom." It produces delicate clusters of cream-white flowers that are less than an inch wide, with their parts joined at the bottom and sticking to the base of the ovary, each featuring a sticky, bright-green, heart-shaped gland. This plant thrives in damp areas in the mountains throughout the continent.

Much like the last one, but the leaves are less "bloomy" and the flowers are more attractive and somewhat larger. Their sections do not connect to the ovary; only the inner sections have claws, and the glands are greenish-yellow and toothed. This plant grows among bushes on hillsides and sea cliffs along the coast.

Not as attractive as the last two, but still a nice plant, growing between one and two feet tall, with dull green leaves that are folded lengthwise and have rough edges. The cream-colored flowers are less than half an inch wide, striped with green on the outside, with petals that are detached from the ovary and all have claws, along with roundish, greenish-yellow glands that aren't toothed, and have long stamens. This plant grows in meadows and its bulb is very poisonous except to pigs, which is why it's often called Hog's Potato.

There are several types of Veratrum, native to the northern temperate zone; tall, perennial herbs with thick, short, poisonous rootstocks; stems that are tall and leafy, somewhat hairy; leaves that are broad, pleated, with noticeable veins; flowers that are somewhat fuzzy, polygamous, whitish or greenish, clustered, with six separate parts that are the same color, attached to the base of the ovary, lacking glands, or almost so, and without claws; stamens positioned opposite the parts, with heart-shaped anthers; three styles; a three-lobed capsule, containing several flat, broadly-winged seeds in each section. Veratrum is the old name for Hellebore. 9

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The leaves of this plant are its most noticeable feature. A few near the top are long and narrow, but most are boat-shaped, with strong ribs, and range from six to twelve inches long. They are a bright yellowish-green, and while they are somewhat coarse, the overall look is distinctly attractive, especially as we see large groups of them thriving in rich, moist meadows and marshes in the mountains. When they first emerge in the spring, the shoots are packed into green rosettes, with the leaves intricately folded, but they quickly grow to a height of three to six feet. The flowers are beautiful, providing a striking contrast to the rough foliage. They measure about half an inch across and are cream-white, streaked with green, forming a lovely cluster about a foot long. The flowers are much prettier, and the plants are more attractive than their eastern relatives, thriving at altitudes of six to nine thousand feet. The plants are believed to be poisonous to cattle, but according to a recent bulletin from the Agricultural Experiment Station of the State of Washington, they are a popular food choice for horses and sheep, especially the latter, which eat it eagerly and without any negative effects.

There are several types of Hastingsia, which are perennials that have bulbs or rootstocks; the stamens at the base of the perianth have swinging anthers; the ovary has a very short stalk and a short style.

An appealing marsh plant with a smooth, stiff, bluish stem that stands over three feet tall, emerging from a bunch of long, narrow, sword-shaped leaves. The flowers, with a slightly sweet scent, are white and about half an inch wide, creating a long, graceful, fuzzy cluster of blooms. From a distance, it has a lovely silvery appearance and looks intriguing, but up close, it isn't very impressive because the flowers lack color. The seeds are shiny and black. 11

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There are several types of Chlorogalum. This unique plant comes from a large bulb, which is covered in coarse brown fibers and often pokes above the ground. The leaves can exceed two feet in length, have rippled edges, resemble very coarse grass, and typically lie flat on the ground. The plants stand out and catch our attention, making us curious about the flowers they will produce. Then one day in late summer, we notice an unattractive, branching stalk rising four or five feet tall from the center of the cluster of leaves. The branches are lined with bluish-green buds, and we eagerly watch for the blooms, but we might easily miss them because the flowers are very short-lived and only appear briefly in the afternoons. In the lowlands, the flowers are somewhat scattered and disorganized, but in Yosemite, they are beautiful and close together. Each flower measures an inch or more across and resembles a delicate little lily, with six spreading sections that are white and subtly veined with dull blue; they cluster along the branches near the top of the stalk and bloom in successive groups, starting from the bottom. When they begin to open, the tips of the petals stay connected until the last moment, when suddenly they separate and spring apart, transforming the dull stalk, much like Aaron's rod, into several delicate clusters of feathery silver flowers. The thread-like style is slightly split at the tip, and each capsule contains one or two dark seeds in each cell. The bulbs create a lather in water and are used as a soap substitute by the Indigenous people and Spanish Californians, and as food by the Pomo Indians, who cook them in large pits in the ground. Pomeridianum means "in the afternoon."

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Wild onions are easily identified by their distinct taste and smell. They usually have coated bulbs, and their leaves are long and narrow, arising from the base. The flower stalk carries a round cluster of relatively small white, pink, or magenta flowers on slender stems, with six similar parts, each having a stamen at its base. The bracts surround the buds before they bloom, forming a protective case, and the capsule holds six black, wrinkled seeds. There are many species that are widely spread and not easy to tell apart; some look like Brodiaea, but the latter never has an onion smell. Allium is the Latin word for "garlic."

From four to ten inches tall, with a few leaves. Before blooming, the flower cluster is wrapped in two paper-like bracts, creating a beautiful pink and white, iridescent case shaped like a turnip at the tip of the stalk. Later, these bracts split open to reveal a group of pretty flowers, usually a very deep pink color, each segment featuring a darker line on the outside and pale-yellow anthers. This is very cheerful and attractive, often growing in patches on dry hillsides and fields. The flowers last a long time in water, gradually becoming lighter in color and having a papery texture. The bulb has vein markings.

Six to ten inches tall, with two slightly thick leaves, and usually two slender flower stalks, each holding a beautiful cluster of star-shaped white, pink, or pinkish-purple flowers, with each petal delicately striped in pinkish-brown, the anthers pink, and the ovary green, featuring three tiny double crests. These flowers are extremely delicate and lovely, growing among rocks in shady canyons. The bulb is typically covered in red.

The flower cluster of Allium serràtum is much denser than the previous one, and the pink flowers shift to a rich purplish-pink as they wilt, forming a lovely, round, papery head that's about an inch and a half wide. It’s commonly found on low hills in California. 15

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There are many types of Brodiaea, which are among the most beautiful flowers in the west. They have a small, sturdy bulb covered with brownish fibers. The stem has a round cluster of flowers at the top, and the flower stems vary in length. All of their leaves come from the base and are grass-like, quickly wilting. The flowers dry out, become papery, and stay on the stalk, sometimes maintaining their shape and color for a while. The stamens come in two sets and are attached to the flower tube, with their filaments often having wings. Sometimes, three of the stamens lack anthers, and their filaments are wider, making them look like small petals mixed in with the regular stamens.

All through the spring, these beautiful flowers grow all over the hills and fields of California. The slender stalks range from a few inches to two feet tall. The flowers are usually purplish-blue but can vary from deep violet to white and are somewhat translucent. They are over half an inch wide and grow in clusters of seven or eight flowers, with several thin, purplish bracts at the base. There are six anthers, and the three inner stamens are winged, forming a crown in the throat of the flower tube. These Brodiaeas last a long time in water and are popular everywhere. The small bulbs are edible and are called Grass Nuts. They have several other names, like Cluster Lily and Hog-onion. The name Wild Hyacinth is misleading, as they don’t resemble a hyacinth. B. capitàta var. pauciflòra from Arizona is similar, except its bracts are white. Covena is the name used in Arizona.

Much like the last one, except that only three of the stamens have anthers and the stem can sometimes reach up to five feet tall. This grows on open hills in the Coast Ranges. 17

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In early June, during the hay harvest, these beautiful flowers, which look like clusters of little blue lilies, start to show up among the dried grass on the hillsides and in clearings in the woods. They range in height from a few inches to over a foot, and the number of flowers in a cluster varies a lot. Sometimes, there can be as many as ten lovely blossoms, an inch or more long, with unevenly sized stems between one to four inches long, clustered at the top of the stalk, accompanied by several whitish, papery leaves at the base. The flowers are typically a vibrant blue that fades to violet, with the six segments becoming paler towards the base and having a brown stripe on the outside; the buds are greenish with brown stripes. The stamens are translucent white, consisting of three standard stamens with long upright anthers, alternating with three without anthers, which are tongue-shaped and resemble petals. The leaves, which are somewhat thick and about the same length as the stalk, have already withered away by the time the flowers bloom. This plant closely resembles Ithuriel's Spear, Triteleia laxa, but has three stamens without anthers and the ovary isn’t on a long stalk. It’s the most common type around San Francisco. B. minor is quite similar but is a smaller plant with fewer and tinier flowers. The three outer segments are narrow with pointed tips, while the inner ones are blunt and broad, and the sterile stamens are notched and longer than the fertile ones. This variety grows on dry hills and plains in central and southern California.

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This is a strange, somewhat grotesque-looking plant, with its slightly rough, leafless, reddish stem twisted into odd curves, sometimes quite short but usually incredibly long, occasionally reaching up to eight feet, and awkwardly wrapping around the bushes nearby like a snake. Sometimes there are a few long, narrow leaves on the ground, but when the flower blooms, they usually seem to have dried up. The flower cluster is quite compact, sometimes six inches wide, consisting of eighteen to twenty flowers, along with several large, pink, papery bracts. The flowers are rather pretty, dull pink on the outside but lighter on the inside, and the buds are a deeper, purplish pink, all with a dry, papery texture. The flowers are over half an inch wide, with six-angled tubes and buds, and they have three stamens with anthers and wings, alternating with three notched, petal-like stamens without anthers. In spring, the stem grows quickly for several weeks, and then the flower cluster starts to develop at the tip. If the stem is broken, the flower still blooms, and the stem continues to grow, even if it's brought inside. These interesting plants are found in the foothills of the Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada Mountains and can be seen in open, sunny spots along the stage route from Yosemite to Wawona. In the woods near Wawona, I saw it twisting around a very tall white larkspur, and the combination was extremely beautiful. The capsule is egg-shaped and pointed, with black, angled seeds.

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There are four types of Bloomeria, all from California, that look like Brodiaea, but their stamens are different. They have a solid bulb coated in fibers, long narrow leaves, and a cluster of many flowers at the top of a tall flower stalk. The flowers are yellow, with six nearly equal, spreading segments, and six stamens at the base of these segments, featuring slender filaments that, under a microscope, show a short, two-toothed, hairy appendage at the base. These filaments combine to form a small cup surrounding the base of the stamens. The style is club-shaped, with a three-lobed stigma. The round capsule, which has a beak from the style, contains several angular, wrinkled seeds in each chamber.

In late spring, the meadows around Pasadena and other areas in the Coast Range are filled with beautiful clusters of Golden Stars. This plant grows from six to eighteen inches tall, originating from a small bulb covered with brown fibers. It features a long, narrow, grass-like leaf and a large flower cluster that can have up to fifty blossoms at the top of the stalk. The flowers are about an inch across, with stems that are one and a half to two inches long, and are orange-yellow in color, with each petal displaying two dark stripes, while the anthers are bright green. It closely resembles Golden Brodiaea, but the latter lacks a cup at the base of the stamens. This plant thrives in southern California and is abundant wherever it occurs. B. Clevelandi is quite similar but has flowers striped with green and numerous green buds, making it less golden and the overall appearance not as appealing. It also has many narrow leaves.

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Triteleias look like Brodiaeas, but they have six swinging anthers and a stalked ovary.

Though the overall look of the plant is quite different, the individual flowers of this beautiful plant closely resemble the bells of a hyacinth, as they share the same waxy, semi-translucent texture. The bluish-green leaves, folded lengthwise and fading before the flower appears, can sometimes reach a foot in length, and the flower stem often grows up to two feet high, bending under the weight of its stunning crown of blossoms. The cluster features four papery bracts at the base and measures about three to four inches across, consisting of roughly a dozen flowers, each nearly an inch long. They are pale violet, with a bright blue mid-vein on each petal, creating a blue overall effect, complemented by a white pistil and six stamens arranged in two rows, all with blue anthers, and the outer ones sporting broad, white filaments. It's amazing to discover these beautiful and exotic-looking flowers, delicately scented, shining in the shadow of a dark oak thicket or a deep canyon. They last a long time in water, becoming papery as they fade.

From one to two feet tall, with really pretty flowers about half an inch long, delicately striped with green on the outside, featuring six equal stamens with broad, triangular filaments that are slightly joined at the base, and yellow or purple anthers, along with a green pistil. The leaves are grass-like but thicker, and as long as the flower stalk. These flowers are quite common and stay fresh in water for a long time.

Very much like Harvest Brodiaea but taller, with more flowers in the cluster and a less waxy texture, varying in color from blue to violet and sometimes white. This plant is common on hillsides and in adobe fields. The somewhat whimsical name was inspired by the spear carried by Milton's angel Ithuriel. 25

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There are one or two types of Brevoortia.

A stunning plant, really unique in both shape and color. The stem is between one and three feet tall, with a few grass-like leaves, and it has a large cluster of six to thirteen flowers, each one to two inches long, hanging on slender, reddish stems. They feature bright crimson tubes and apple-green lobes, which sometimes curl back, revealing the tips of the three pale yellow anthers. There are also three stamens without anthers that are widened, making them look like three white or yellowish petals. The buds are also crimson, tipped with green, and the entire color scheme is incredibly vibrant and eye-catching. This plant grows in mountain canyons and on wooded hillsides, blooming in late spring.

There are several types of Muilla, similar to Brodiaea and quite like Allium, but they don't have the taste or smell of onions.

A small, sometimes quite attractive plant, ranging from three to nine inches tall, with fragrant flowers around three-eighths of an inch or smaller, which are white or greenish and have green stripes on the outside, featuring six bluish swinging anthers. It grows in alkaline fields, on sea cliffs, and mesas.

There are many kinds of Erythronium, all but one from North America, and they are among our most beautiful flowers, both East and West. They have deep, membrane-coated, solid bulbs; a pair of netted-veined, unequal leaves, sometimes mottled with brown; flowers without bracts, large, drooping, and bell-shaped, typically with six similar divisions, all bending back at the tips, each having a nectar groove, and either two or four small scales at the base, or just the three inner divisions having scales; stamens on the receptacle, with anthers that don't swing; a style that is more or less three-lobed; and a capsule that is somewhat oblong and three-angled. Younger plants often don't have flowers, featuring only one broad leaf with a long leaf stalk. The name comes from a Greek word meaning "red," even though these flowers are mostly yellow. The common name, Dog-tooth Violet, is old and comes from the small, white, toothlike offshoot often found on the bulb, though they are not at all like violets. In California, they are often called Chamise Lily and sometimes Adam and Eve, because the plant often bears a large and a small flower at the same time. Mr. Burroughs would like to call it Fawn Lily due to the mottled leaves of some types, which faintly resemble the ears of a fawn. Adder's-tongue, likely inspired by the long forked pistil, is also an old and common name.

An exquisite type, uniquely elegant in shape, with anywhere from one to nine pure white flowers that are almost three inches wide, each petal nicely decorated at the base with orange markings, arranged in a neat scalloped pattern. The anthers are orange-yellow, the pistil is white, the buds are pinkish, and the leaves are a vivid green without any mottling. This is very common around Mt. Rainier.

A beautiful flower, similar to E. grandiflorum, but the anthers are white or light yellow. Around Mt. Rainier, these stunning plants often grow in large clusters at the edge of the snow, alongside the Avalanche Lily, E. montanum, but the two types don’t seem to mix.

One of the most beautiful flowers in a charming group, growing in the lush northern woods. The delicately-scented blooms, ranging from one to six on a stem, are about two inches wide, a bright yellow that fades to white at the base, with purplish-red anthers that turn brown. A cluster of these flowers at the edge of a glacier, almost appearing as if planted in a garden bed, is a sight that stays with you forever. Pushing their vibrant leaves through the snow, they cheerfully sway their golden blooms in the face of winter and seem to embody the very essence of spring. There are several similar types. In the Utah canyons, these flowers in early spring are an amazing sight, blanketing the wooded slopes in sheets of gold, and they seem to be the largest and most beautiful of their kind, thriving at altitudes between six thousand and eleven thousand five hundred feet, blooming from March to July depending on the elevation. Easter Bells is a name from Utah. 29 30

This is the only one of its kind, a wonderfully beautiful desert plant, reminiscent of an Easter Lily. The thick, pale, bluish stem can grow from six inches to two feet tall, featuring a delicate "bloom" that springs from a graceful cluster of narrow leaves, each about a foot and a half long, spreading widely but not lying completely flat on the ground. The leaves are pale bluish-green with a narrow, crinkled white border and are folded lengthwise. The buds are bluish, and the lovely flowers are about three inches long and pure white, delicately striped with pale green and blue on the outside, while having yellow anthers and a white stigma, along with a papery bract at the base of each stem. The flowers have a slight fragrance and become papery and strangely transparent as they wilt. In dry seasons, these plants don’t bloom at all, but the slightest moisture will prompt them to push up a thick stem and crown it with exquisite blossoms, which appear extraordinarily out of place on the arid desert sand around Yuma and Ft. Mohave. The bulb is consumed by the Native Americans.

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Lilies, known as the "lords of gardens," are probably the most stunning and popular flowers around, and there are some amazing varieties in the West. They have tall, smooth, leafy stems that grow from scaly bulbs; large, showy flowers that can be solitary or form terminal clusters; smooth, netted-veined leaves, often arranged in whorls, and leaf-like bracts. The flower cup is funnel-shaped or bell-shaped, featuring six equal, spreading sections, each with a honey-bearing groove at the base; the stamens have long anthers that dangle from the tips of long filaments; a long pistil ends in a three-lobed stigma, and the capsule is oblong, with two rows of flat seeds in each compartment. There are no true lilies in Utah.

These tall plants have a stunning crown of small lilies that shine like jewels in the dark, damp woods they prefer. The stem ranges from one and a half to six feet high, covered in a slight fuzz that rubs off, and it grows from a small bulb with thick, short scales. The long, pointed, rich green leaves are arranged in whorls of five or six at the bottom, becoming more scattered towards the top of the stalk. The flowers are just over an inch long, yellow at the base of the petals, transitioning through orange to vermilion at the tips, and speckled with crimson in the throat. Typically, there are six or seven in a cluster, but in good conditions, many more can be found, and individual plants in Yosemite have been observed with as many as thirty blossoms. The capsule is roundish and less than an inch long. These little lilies are among the most appealing of their type and grow quite freely in the high Sierras up to an altitude of seven thousand feet and as far north as Oregon.

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In the Sierras, at elevations ranging from three to over seven thousand feet, and as far north as the Columbia River, you might get lucky and spot this beautiful Lily growing in the forest under moderate shade, sheltered by the chaparral. It's not rare, but it's not overly abundant either. I’ll never forget discovering a cluster of three or four by a massive fallen tree in the woods at Wawona near Yosemite, where it looks stunning. Its blooms are even "whiter and shinier" than cultivated Easter Lilies. The smooth, sturdy, purplish stem stands between two to five feet tall, adorned with whorls of attractive dark green leaves that are three to four inches long, thin in texture, with wavy edges, and shiny as if polished. There can be anywhere from two to twenty glossy white flowers, each about three to four inches long and wide. The petals are split down to the base, spreading wide when fully open, sometimes lightly dotted with purple, and turning purplish as they fade. The anthers are yellow, the pistil is green, and the bulb is big with thin scales. The scent is delightful, combining a hint of spicy carnation with the usual lily fragrance. This lily doesn’t grow in the Coast Range and is the only pure white American Lily. The Shasta Lily is a variety with a smaller bulb. L. Párryi, known as the Lemon Lily, found in southern California and Arizona, has similar flower shapes, which are large and bright yellow, lightly dotted with deeper yellow. It thrives in shady, moist spots in cool canyons and is truly beautiful.

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A stunning plant, standing three to six feet tall, with bright green leaves that are thin, smooth but not shiny, and mostly arranged in whorls. The stem is topped with a beautiful cluster of flowers, usually around six, but sometimes up to thirty on one stalk. They measure three to four inches across and are pale orange on the outside and deep orange on the inside, spotted with maroon and often marked with yellow-orange in the throat and tipped with red. The anthers are purplish, turning reddish-brown, and the pistil is bright green. These plants often grow in large groups in wet areas of the mountains and are unmatched in decorative beauty and vibrant colors.

A lot like the last one, but not as big. The petals are more turned back and are solid orange, speckled with dark red, and the anthers are light orange, turning to golden-brown. This is common in the Hood River Valley.

A beautiful plant that grows from two to five feet tall, with leaves primarily arranged in whorls and edged in ripples. The stem holds an impressive cluster of blossoms, striking in color; the buds and young flowers are white, speckled with purple on the inside, featuring yellow anthers and a pale-green pistil. They gradually shift to pink and deepen to a ruby-purple as they fade, with the anthers and pistil also darkening. As a result, the whole cluster presents a gradient of white at the top, transitioning through pink to almost crimson at the bottom. The flowers are even more delightfully fragrant than the Washington Lily, which they resemble, although they are not quite as large and stand more upright, with petals that are not as spread out. This plant typically grows among chaparral in the Coast Ranges. 37

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There are many types of Fritillaria, which are native to the northern temperate zone. In the East, there are only cultivated varieties, like the well-known Crown Imperial, but in the West, we have several that grow wild. They have bulbs with round, thick scales that develop into bulblets and sometimes look like grains of rice. The flowers are bell-shaped and drooping, with separate and almost equally sized segments, each with a nectar spot at its base. They resemble lilies, but the style is divided into three parts, the honey gland is a shallow pit, and the flowers are smaller. The capsule is round and six-angled, containing many flat seeds. It's quite noticeable and may have inspired the Latin name, which means "dice-box."

This plant is beautiful and decorative, but there's something strange about it. The flowers, which are an inch or more wide, grow in clusters of four or five on a smooth stalk about a foot tall, with long, narrow leaves either scattered or in whorls. The bells, gently nodding on slender flower stems, have very unusual colors. They are greenish-yellow, streaked and spotted with maroon, and the long, curling tips of the three-pronged pistil stick out like the forked tongue of a snake, leading us to feel that, in another life, as lovely as it is now, it might have been a toad or some kind of reptile. When we found this flower growing in the Grand Canyon, halfway down Bright Angel Trail, it felt perfectly in tune with the mysterious spirit of the area. The overall appearance is bronze-colored, and the appealing name Bronze Bells, or Mission Bells, is very fitting. It has a small bulb made up of numerous round scales. The pistils are often underdeveloped.

A pretty little flower, a favorite among kids, grows on grassy plains with a smooth stem about six inches tall and smooth, somewhat thick alternate or whorled leaves. The nodding flowers, about an inch long, usually grow single, but sometimes there can be as many as six on a stalk, in various shades of yellow and orange, tinged with crimson and fading to dull red. The smooth bulb is pure white and consists of several rounded, thick scales that don’t resemble grains of rice, so the name Rice Root doesn't fit, and the local Utah names, Crocus, Snowdrop, and Buttercup, are ridiculous. 39

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There are several types of Yucca, native to North and Central America. They are large plants with dagger-like leaves, typically featuring long, thread-like fibers along the edges. Their flowers have bracts and droop in a terminal cluster, resembling a bell shape, with six thick white petals. The stamens are short, with thick filaments and small anthers, and the ovary has three fused stigmas. Each capsule contains many flat, black seeds. The flowers are pollinated by a small white moth, which lays its eggs in the ovary but first collects pollen from multiple flowers and presses it against the stigma after laying the eggs.

A noble plant, with no trunk, but sending up a stunning spike of flowers, standing between five to fifteen feet tall, sprouting from a large, symmetrical bunch of dagger-like, bluish-green leaves. The cluster consists of hundreds of glossy, cream-colored blossoms, sometimes tinged with purple, two inches wide, packed so closely together at the top of the stalk that the result is a massive, solid block of blooms, three feet long. The white filaments are swollen, topped with pale-yellow anthers; the pistil is cream-colored, with green stigmas. The large, white bracts are stiff and rough, like parchment, folded back so that the pinkish stalk is decorated with a series of white triangles, arranged symmetrically. A hillside covered with hundreds of these stunning flowering spikes, rising above the chaparral, is a breathtaking sight. After they’ve bloomed, the tall, white stalks remain standing for some time, making the hills look like they’ve been planted with numerous white wands.

The genus Cleistoyucca looks like Yucca, but the sections of the flower are very thick and there is no style.

A tree, strange and intimidating in appearance, but with a unique kind of beauty, stands out in stark contrast against the pale desert landscape. It has a thick, rough trunk that rises between fifteen to thirty feet high, and a few gnarled branches that reach out like a giant's arms, ominously stretching across the sandy expanse. The branches 41 42 are covered with the shaggy remnants of dead leaves, and from their tips extend an impressive cluster of dagger-like leaves and a large, heavy bunch of pale greenish flowers or heavy, yellowish fruits. The coarse flowers measure about two inches wide, emitting a clammy scent reminiscent of mushrooms, and the bracts are a stark white. This tree grows in the Mojave Desert and is most impressive near Hesperia, where you can see the most incredible forest imaginable. In other areas, it is smaller and resembles other Yuccas in shape. Early settlers named it Joshua Tree, believing its branches pointed toward the Promised Land. The fruits are enjoyed by the Native Americans, who also use the fibers from the leaves to weave baskets, ropes, hats, horse blankets, and more, and they make a pulp from the stems, which is used for soap.

There are several types of Trillium found in North America and Asia; they have tuberous root systems, three netted-veined leaves arranged in a whorl at the top of the stem; a single flower with three green sepals, three petals, six short stamens, and three styles; and a reddish, capsule-like berry that contains many seeds. The Latin name means "triple."

A lovely plant, about a foot tall, with a single beautiful flower, perfectly complemented by its large, vibrant green leaves. The flower is two or three inches wide, with gorgeous white petals that gradually shift to deep pink. It's a joy to discover a group of these appealing plants in the middle of the forest, where their pristine blossoms shine in the cool shade along a mountain stream. They resemble the eastern Large-flowered Trillium and grow in the Coast Ranges.

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There are three types of Xerophyllum.

This is a stunning plant, reaching heights of two to six feet, with a thick, leafy stem that springs from a large tuft of wiry, grass-like leaves spreading out gracefully like a fountain. The leaves are between one and two and a half feet long, dark green on the top and pale gray on the underside, with rough edges. The impressive flower cluster is at the top of the stalk and measures about a foot long, broad at the base and tapering to a blunt point. It consists of hundreds of fragrant, cream-white flowers, each about half an inch wide, with slender white stems, so closely packed that they look solid, yet the long stamens give a feathery appearance. It's a beautiful sight to find a group of these magnificent plants in a mountain meadow, their tall flower spikes towering over nearby flora. They're especially striking around Mt. Rainier. It's said they only bloom once every five to seven years before dying. Indigenous people use the leaves to create their finest baskets. Unfortunately, the size of this book doesn't allow for an illustration.

There are two types of Maianthemum: one that grows in the east and another that also thrives in Europe and Asia.

This is a really attractive woodland plant, growing four to fourteen inches tall, with stunning, glossy, deep green leaves and a sturdy stem. It has a lovely cluster of many small, waxy white flowers, two to three inches long, each with four petals. There are four stamens with thin filaments and small, yellowish anthers. The stigma has two lobes, and the berry is red. This plant thrives in rich soil in the mountains and looks much better than its eastern counterpart, plus it has a strong sweet scent. The Latin name means "blooming in May." 45

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There are several types of Streptopus, similar to Disporum, but the flower stems are twisted or bent.

This is a lovely plant, two to three feet tall, with a smooth, branching, bending stem and attractive leaves that are thin, with pronounced veins and a pale, whitish sheen on the underside. The greenish-white flowers are about half an inch long and droop on very slender, crooked stems below the leaves, while the oval berries are red and packed with seeds. This plant thrives in moist soil in cold mountain forests, reaching altitudes of up to ten thousand feet across the continent. The Greek name translates to "twisted stalk."

A smaller plant, one to two and a half feet tall, with a slightly hairy stem, decorated with attractive leaves that are green on both sides and hairy along the edges, and adorned with small, dull purplish-pink flowers, streaked with a deeper color and less than half an inch long. This plant grows in the same types of locations as the previous one and can also be found throughout the continent.

There are two types of Stenanthella: smooth plants with bulbs and small drooping flowers in clusters with bracts. The parts of the flower are separate, lacking glands or distinct claws; the short stamens are attached at the base of the petals; there are three styles; the capsule has three beaks and holds elongated, winged seeds.

This is a graceful plant, standing between ten to twenty inches tall, featuring long, narrow leaves and a slim stem that ends in a long cluster of about ten attractive, small brownish-green or purplish flowers, each less than half an inch long. It thrives in shady areas. 47

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There are several types of Camassia, one from the east; they are herbs with onion-like bulbs, long, narrow leaves, and thin, dry bracts. The flowers come in various shades of blue, with six distinct, slightly spreading petals, each having a stamen at its base. The anthers sway, and the style is threadlike with a three-part tip; the capsule is three-lobed, containing several seeds in each section. Different varieties of Camassia have been cultivated in European gardens for a long time. The name comes from Quamash, the Native American term for these plants.

Looking out over the vibrant green of wet meadows and marshes, the deep blue patches of this flower stand out and are stunning. They grow between one and over two feet tall, taller than the grass-like leaves, forming a loose cluster with papery bracts. The flowers range from an inch and a half to over two inches wide, with six segments spreading out into a star shape. The buds are tinged with turquoise-blue and streaked with purple, creating a lovely iridescent effect. The flowers, which fade quickly, are often incredibly beautiful, varying in color from dark blue to white, but usually a deep, bright purplish-blue, with a green ovary, a long purple style, and yellow anthers with purple filaments. They are larger and more attractive in northern California than in Yosemite. Grizzly bears love the bulbs, and the Indigenous people of the Northwest regarded them as a delicacy; in fact, the Nez Percé war in Idaho was sparked by encroachments on territory where they were plentiful. They were cooked meticulously in pits, with care taken to avoid the poisonous bulbs of the Death Camass, which look similar. The Indigenous people also boil the bulbs in water and make a tasty molasses from them, which they use for celebrations. This is sometimes referred to as Wild Hyacinth, but that name is misleading, as it doesn’t resemble a hyacinth in character. 49

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There are six types of Clintonia in North America and Asia, featuring creeping root systems and a few broad leaves. The flowers lack bracts, have separate parts that are equal or nearly equal, each with a stamen at the base. The style has two or three small lobes, and the fruit is a berry. These plants were named after De Witt Clinton, the Governor of New York, who was a naturalist interested in botany, so Thoreau didn't need to be so upset about their name.

A stunning plant that stands one to two feet tall, featuring five or six incredibly attractive, glossy, rich green leaves that can be quite noticeable, sometimes reaching up to a foot long. It has a tall, slightly fuzzy flower stalk, usually adorned with a few flowers scattered along it and topped with a large, rounded cluster of beautiful blooms. The flowers are about three-quarters of an inch long and boast a vibrant color, coming in a deep shade of warm reddish-pink or crimson, which is rare among flowers. The shape of the cluster can vary quite a bit; sometimes, the flowers aren’t just concentrated at the top, but are thickly arranged along the upper part of the stalk. The large, deep-blue berries are very striking, making this one of our most noticeable and appealing woodland plants, especially when found thriving in the deep shade of redwood forests.

In rich, moist soil and shady woods, we find this beautiful flower, featuring a white cup and a heart of pale gold, surrounded by two or three large, glossy leaves that look like those of lily-of-the-valley, often covering the ground in ideal spots. The slender flower stalk is hairy, standing six to ten inches tall, and typically has a single flower that is an inch or more wide, with pure white petals that quickly fall off. The fruit is an attractive blue berry. 51

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There are many types of Vagnera, native to America and Asia, featuring a single stem, scaly at the bottom and leafy at the top; the leaves are arranged alternately, with short petioles or none at all; the flowers are small, with equal and spread divisions, white or greenish, growing in clusters; the berry is round, typically containing one or two seeds.

It’s a shame that all flowers can’t have truly unique names. "False" is particularly unappealing and "Solomon's Seal" is misleading, as the flowers don’t look alike, but this is the traditional name used worldwide, so it has to stick, even though it doesn’t do justice to this lovely plant. It grows from one to three feet tall, with large, light green leaves that are usually a bit fuzzy on the underside. The flower cluster has a sweet scent and is made up of many tiny, cream-white flowers, with the standout parts being the stamens, which are white and bigger than the petals, giving the whole cluster a feathery look. The fruit is a light red berry sprinkled with very fine dark red dots. This tall, beautiful plant is quite decorative and commonly found in rich, moist woodlands. The name was given in honor of Wagner.

A gracefully bending plant, standing one to two feet tall, grows from a slender root. The bright light-green leaves, with no leaf-stalks and clasping at the base, have a slight "bloom" like some lily leaves, and they are attractive and noticeable, but not at all coarse. They are generally very smooth, though sometimes they can be slightly downy. The small, delicate cream-white flowers, on a very slender, angled flower-stalk, grow in loose clusters, and the berries are reddish-purple or almost black. This lovely plant sometimes creates large patches in moist, rich soil in shaded areas, and its pretty foliage is often quite noticeable next to the railroad tracks in Utah. 53

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Fairy Bells are elegant plants that grow in lush, damp mountain woods. They have smooth or slightly hairy branching stems, with leaves at the top and scaly bracts below, emerging from slender roots. The leaves are netted-veined, arranged alternately, stemless, smooth, thin, and often wrap around the stem. They produce relatively small, bell-shaped flowers that hang beneath the leaves, featuring six stamens and a slender style with one or three stigmas. The fruit is a yellow or red berry. Disporum comes from the Greek word meaning "double-seed," because some varieties have two seeds in each ovary cell.

A very attractive mountain plant, growing near streams. It is between nine and twenty-four inches tall, with an angled stem that is pale green on top and reddish below. The delicate flowers, about half an inch long, feature a three-lobed green stigma and yellow anthers, growing either alone or in clusters of two or three, nodding shyly under the pretty leaves. The leaves are dull on top and very shiny underneath, with oddly crumpled edges and angled on the stem. The unripe berry is orange, which inspired the name Drops of Gold, but it turns bright red when it matures in June. D. Hookeri is similar, but it doesn't have a three-lobed style and the leaves feel slightly rough and aren't as thin or crumpled. They spread out so flat that they create a green roof over the flowers, completely hiding them from passersby. This plant grows in shady woods but not near streams. 55

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Perhaps the most typical western flowers are the members of the genus Calochortus. They grow freely throughout the West, reaching as far north as British Columbia and down into Mexico, but they never extend east of Nebraska. So, these vibrant and elegant flowers can be seen as a unique treasure of the West. Calochortus means "beautiful grass," and the leaves are usually grass-like, with slender stems and brightly colored flowers that are decorative and intriguing in shape. They have three sepals, often greenish, and three large, colored petals, with a honey-gland at the base of each, typically covered in hairs. They are related to true Tulips, which makes the common name fitting, and they fall into three groups: Globe Tulips, featuring drooping, globe-shaped flowers and nodding capsules; Star Tulips, with upright, star-like flowers and drooping capsules; and Mariposa Tulips, which have large, somewhat cup-shaped flowers and upright capsules. Mariposa means "butterfly" in Spanish, which is fitting since the vivid hairy spots on the petals resemble the patterns of a butterfly's wing, and the delicate blossoms seem to have just landed on the tips of their slender stalks. They typically grow on dry, open hillsides, and their leaves often wither away before the flowers bloom. The various forms blend into each other, making it hard to identify all the different species. They have solid bulbs, some of which are edible and considered a delicacy by Native Americans, known as Noonas.

A charming plant with pale bluish-green leaves and a beautiful "bloom" that perfectly enhances the bright yellow flowers. Each stem has between two to twenty flowers, and the petals are smooth except for a neat, stiff fringe of hairs along the edges and the matted hairs on the glands, which are often reddish. These lovely flowers, common in northern California, have a uniquely fresh color, and when they grow among the grass in the shade of oak trees, they have the spring-like charm of daffodils in English woods. 57

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Beautiful and popular flowers, showcasing a high level of uniqueness and distinctly Japanese in their decorative arrangement with elegant stems and glossy, rich green leaves. The narrow root-leaf is over a foot long and spreads out on the ground, while smaller leaves are positioned along the bending stem, which is one to two feet tall and adorned with lovely light-green buds and beautiful drooping flowers over an inch long. These flowers are pearly white, sometimes with a hint of lilac, featuring a satiny sheen and a delicate yet crisp texture. The papery sepals are greenish-white, and the petals are occasionally tinged with purple at the base, prettily fringed with hairs along the edges, and often overlap at the tips in an engaging manner. Inside, they are covered with long, silky white or yellow hairs, and the glands are crescent-shaped, with short, sticky white or yellow hairs, creating pale-green humps on the outside of the petals. The anthers are cream-colored, while the pistil is whitish. The capsule measures one or two inches long, with a short beak and brown seeds. These plants flourish on shady banks in the Coast Ranges and are known by several charming common names, such as Lantern of the Fairies and Alabaster Tulip, along with the misleading name Hairbell, which leads to confusion with the Harebell or Campanula.

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This is a delicate and charming little flower that thrives in meadows within the Sierra Nevada Mountains at moderate elevations, sometimes reaching heights of over seven thousand feet. The single, ribbon-like leaf is much taller than the flower stalk, which is only a few inches high and supports several attractive flowers, measuring over an inch across, with pale-green sepals and three pure-white or pale-lavender, fan-shaped petals featuring a small notch on the edge, almost hairless, and marked with a lavender crescent at the base. The honey gland is divided crosswise by a toothed scale, and the anthers are light blue. The nodding capsule is pointed at both ends.

A charming little plant with beautiful flowers about an inch wide, featuring white or light lilac sepals and white petals, which are hairy all over on the inside, often lilac at the base. The crescent-shaped gland is covered with violet hairs, and the anthers and pistil are lilac. Usually, the overall effect is a very delicate shade of gray, and the small blossoms don’t droop but look straight up from among the grass. This plant is common in northern California.

Much like the last in character, from three to seven inches tall, with bluish-green, stiff leaves and a few charmingly pretty flowers. They are about an inch wide, bright light yellow, with smooth sepals and the petals densely covered with yellow hairs and sometimes brown at the base. This is common in the Sierra foothills.

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The most common type in northern California, found in both the Sierra Nevada and Coast Mountains, and one of the prettiest of all the Mariposas. The broad petals, each about an inch and a half long, are usually white, lilac, or yellowish, with an "eye" like that on a peacock's feather, which gives it the name oculatus. Sometimes they are a deep rose color, like in the colored picture, though that’s not typical, and have a bright blotch of shaded maroon and crimson with an orange spot on each petal, along with some maroon-colored hairs at the base. The sepals are striped with pink and maroon and twist into spirals as they fade; the pistil and blunt anthers are mauve; the honey-gland is narrowly crescent-shaped; the leaves are pale green and the delicate stem is over a foot tall. This Mariposa is extremely variable and sometimes seems to blend into C. venústus, a similar type, and stunning varieties of both can be seen along the Yosemite road on the downhill stretch to Wawona. There are many similar Mariposas, but the casual flower-lover who finds any of these beautiful flowers will likely be happy knowing they are Butterfly Tulips, without needing to delve into the technical details that set them apart.

A sturdy plant, about a foot tall, with a thick stem, bright green leaves, and very attractive flowers that are over two inches wide. The sepals are yellowish with a black spot and streaks of brown, and the petals are a vibrant lemon-yellow, each featuring a rich maroon spot near the center and a hairy, brown, crescent-shaped gland below, often speckled with maroon at the edges and base, with cream-colored anthers and a yellowish pistil. This plant resembles a Tulip in nature and looks very lively and cheerful growing in green fields. The typical C. luteus is similar but smaller and less vibrant in color. 63

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A stunning flower, incredibly bright and unique in color, unlike anything else in nature. The thick, sturdy stem ranges from two inches to over a foot tall, and the leaves are dark green with a delicate bluish sheen. The flowers are about two inches wide, with pale green sepals edged in light pink and orange on the inside, and beautiful petals that are thick and easily damaged, a soft peach color outside and bright orange-red on the inside. Each petal features a purplish gland covered with fine hairs and has a band of long red hairs. When the stems are very short, the vibrant flowers resemble crocuses sprouting from the barren desert soil, but when they're tall, they create a stunning effect similar to tulips. These plants grow in the Mojave Desert, although they are quite rare in California. They are plentiful in the foothills and on the mountain slopes of Arizona, blanketing the landscape in beautiful orange-red hues for miles during spring, with literally thousands in a small area.

These beautiful flowers are about two inches wide, with white petals that have a hint of yellow-green or lilac. They often have delicate frills along the edges and can have hairy spots near the base of the petals, making their overall color quite variable. These Mariposas grow throughout the Southwest. In the Grand Canyon, they start to bloom in early May among the dry grasses halfway down the Bright Angel trail, showcasing a lovely clear lilac hue. The slender stem, about a foot tall, often has a small bulb near the base. It's called Sego Lily (pronounced Sègo) in Utah and is the state flower. Its bulbs were an important food source for the early Mormon pioneers as they crossed the desert, and the flower is highly valued in Utah. 65

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A large family that is widely spread across our continent. These are perennial herbs with bracts; the leaves are long, narrow, and smooth, wrapping around the stem; the flowers are striking, perfectly formed, and arranged symmetrically, twisting in the bud, and stay on even when they fade, featuring three to six parts; there are three stamens at the base of the sepals, with their anthers facing outward; a single style that splits into three branches; the ovary is below the petal attachment, turning into a three-celled, usually three-angled, many-seeded capsule. This family is clearly set apart from the Lily family by its lower ovary and from the Amaryllis family by having three stamens.

There are many types of Iris. To a casual observer, the flowers look like they have nine petals of different sizes, but actually, there are three sepals, three petals, and three petal-like branches of the style. The three outer parts, or sepals, are large and spread out or droop down; the three inner parts, or petals, are usually narrower and stand upright; the style branches arch over, and beneath each one is a stamen. The sepals and petals have claws that are joined at the bottom to form a tube; the capsule is large and contains many flat, black seeds, arranged in one or two rows in each cell; the large rootstock is typically fleshy. Iris comes from the Greek word for "rainbow," referencing the colorful tints, and Flower-de-luce comes from the French "fleur-de-lis," meaning "lily-flower." Many unusual and beautiful kinds are cultivated from the Old World. Orris-root is made from the roots of a Florentine species.

A very attractive and decorative plant, growing in large clusters in damp areas, from thick, creeping roots. The stiff, sword-shaped leaves, which are mostly shorter than the stems, are smooth and light bluish-green. The sturdy stems, ranging from one to two feet high, typically feature two pale violet flowers about three inches long, which emerge from thin, papery bracts. The sepals are white or pale blue, delicately veined with violet, and have a yellow-veined rib down the middle. The petals are pale blue or pale violet, veined with purple, and the buds are yellowish, veined with brown. This plant thrives abundantly in the Yosemite meadows at the foot of El Capitan. It’s beautifully delicate, though it would be more striking if the colors were a bit bolder. 67 68

A beautiful type that's very common in the Coast Ranges. It grows in clusters or singly and has rather dark green leaves that are longer than the flower stalks, along with lovely flowers that vary a lot in color. Near the coast, they are usually bluish-purple, but in mountain woods, they can be violet, mauve, pink, yellow, or white. They are often striped with white and yellow, delicately veined with purple, and measure three to four inches across. In the redwood forests of northern California, they are particularly large and beautiful, displaying delicate shades of cream and straw color tinged with mauve and marked with reddish-purple, wonderfully contrasting with the dark forest backdrop. This type often blooms throughout the rainy season, but mainly in early spring.

This unique and lovely little Iris thrives in partially dry, open forests in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The numerous flower stems, ranging from six to twelve inches tall, are topped by some long, narrow leaves, and the flowers measure one and a half to two inches long, either yellow with violet veins or pale violet with purple veins. The two color variations often grow together and draw a lot of attention from visitors. They look very beautiful, rising up from a carpet of fallen pine needles in the forests along the Wawona Road near Yosemite.

A lovely type of plant that grows in low clusters with lots of very narrow leaves, ranging from five to twenty inches long and much taller than the flower stalks. The striking flowers are more than three inches wide, a bright purplish-blue, with sepals that have darker veins and a white stripe. This plant is commonly found on grassy hills near the coast and becomes taller and paler further inland. The flowers have a light sweet scent and start blooming in January. The Hupa Indians used the leaves to make twine and rope for their nets and traps. There are many other beautiful western irises. 69

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There are many types of Sisyrinchium, charming little plants that are all native to America, with most coming from South America. They have fibrous roots, grass-like leaves, and thin, flat stems that can sometimes branch out. They feature papery green bracts and beautiful flowers that quickly fade, found on very thin flower stalks. The six petal-like parts are all the same, the stamens’ filaments are joined together, the style branches are slender, and the capsule is roundish, holding round seeds.

The deep blue stars of this beautiful plant are a striking feature of the fields near Santa Barbara and in other parts of California during the summer; in fact, they are so abundant in some areas that they pose a threat to farmers. They grow in clumps, about a foot tall, among the grass. The stems are somewhat branching, the leaves are shorter than the stem, and the bracts are about an inch long, green and sheathing. There are about seven flowers on each stem, in a loose cluster, each about an inch across and more attractive than their relatives in the East. They range in color from bright blue to purple, with a yellow "eye," and their petals are nicely notched at the tips, with a little prong. The anthers are arrow-shaped, the style is short, with three very small stigmas, and the small, oddly-shaped capsule is dark brown when ripe, which may have inspired one of the common names, Nigger-babies. It is called Azulea and Villela by Spanish-Californians.

This is very similar to Blue-eyed Grass, but the flowers are bright yellow, the stems are about a foot tall, broadly winged, and not branching, and the leaves are somewhat broader. The pretty flowers are nearly an inch across, and there are between three and seven in a cluster. The filaments are connected at the base only, the style is split below the middle, and the small capsule is rather oblong. This grows in swampy areas near the ocean. S. Arizònicum has yellow flowers and branching stems and grows in Arizona. S. Élmeri also has yellow flowers with purple lines and is found in wet areas in the Sierras. When pressed and dried, the yellow-flowered Sisyrinchiums stain the paper reddish-purple. 71

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A very large family, mostly found in the tropics; fascinating plants with strangely beautiful flowers. Maybe because they are somewhat rare, they seem to have a unique appeal for the public; in fact, almost any oddly-shaped flower is likely to be called an orchid by passersby. They are perennial herbs with different types of roots, some of which are parasitic, usually featuring alternate, smooth leaves, with the lower ones wrapping around the stem. In some species, the leaves have shrunk to scales. The flowers are perfect and irregular, with six parts; the three sepals are the same and colored like the petals; two of the three petals are identical, while the central one differs in size and shape and is known as the lip. This part is brightly colored, often spurred, and contains nectar to attract "long-tongued" insects, which these plants mainly rely on for cross-pollination. The mechanism for this is intriguing. The stigma usually has a broad, sticky surface, and its style is fused with the filaments, forming a column in front of the lip, typically topped by a single two-celled anther, which holds two clusters of pollen, one in each cell. Each cluster has several waxy grains, held together by cobweb-like threads, which connect and end in a sticky disk. These disks stick to the insects that come to get the nectar and are then transferred to the sticky stigma of another flower. The lower ovary develops into a three-valved capsule that contains many tiny seeds. Orchis is the ancient Greek name.

There is only one type of Cephalanthera in North America; it has creeping rootstocks; flowers in terminal spikes, with bracts; sepals and petals are nearly equal; petals are somewhat joined and hooded; the lip is more or less pouched.

In the thick mountain forests, these unusual plants glow like pale ghosts among the dark trees. They are completely translucent white, from the stem to the leaves, which have shrunk to white sheaths an inch or two long. The stems stand one to two feet tall and are topped with spikes of numerous flowers, each over half an inch long, with the lip shorter than the sepals and petals, which are all similar. They are beautiful yet slightly unsettling, as we instinctively sense something unnatural about them; in fact, their strange lack of any green color shows that they can’t produce their own food from the elements and instead get their nutrients from decomposing vegetation or are parasitic on other plants. They grow north from Yosemite but aren’t very common anywhere. I found several near the trail from Little Yosemite Valley to Cloud's Rest and quite a few in the woods at the foot of Mt. Shasta, where they appear to be relatively common.

There are several types of Serapias, found in various locations; tall, thick herbs with creeping roots and leafy stems; the leaves arranged lengthwise and wrapping around the base; the flowers have leafy bracts and grow in clusters at the top. The flowers don’t have a spur; the sepals and petals are distinct and almost the same size; the lip is wide, detached, curved underneath, and narrowed in the middle.

A striking plant, decorative and unique in shape and color. It grows from one to four feet tall, with a sturdy, leafy stem that supports three to ten flowers and smooth leaves with prominent veins. The sepals are reddish or greenish-yellow, and the petals are pinkish, marked with maroon veins. The lip is pouch-like at the base, with a winged edge and a dangling tip that moves freely like it’s on a hinge, causing it to shake when the plant is disturbed. Although the flowers are quite beautiful, this unusual quivering motion makes them appear almost alive, resembling an old woman in a sunbonnet, with a hooked nose and chattering mouth. They have a faint scent, and the plant is fairly common near streams and in wet areas, particularly in the West, as well as in Colorado and Texas. Some botanists believe it’s the same as a variety found in the Himalaya Mountains. It was named after the Egyptian god, Serapis. 75

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There are several types of Corallorrhiza, commonly found in the northern temperate zone and growing in dense forests; these pinkish or straw-colored plants are partially parasitic, with large roots that look like coral branches; the leaves are all reduced to sheath-like, papery scales; the flowers are arranged in terminal racemes, lacking bracts, on short pedicels that bend down in fruit, mostly featuring a short spur, with the sepals and petals being about equal in size, and the upper ones curving inward.

The curious knobby root, looking like a piece of coral, gives this strange and somewhat unappealing plant its name. Having adapted to living on decayed vegetation, it has lost its green leaves and now only has a few papery sheaths in their place. The thick, translucent stem stands from one to two feet tall, pink at the base and shading to golden-brown at the top. The flowers, less than half an inch wide, are usually yellow with reddish-brown tips, and the white, three-lobed lip is speckled with purple. The buds are yellow and brown, creating a colorful effect that is quite attractive, as if the plant is attempting to blend in with the russet tones of the forest floor. The flowers cluster together, ranging from several to many, and hang down as their seeds start to ripen. This plant is found in various locations, including the East, but is generally not common anywhere.

This plant is similar but more attractive, with much larger flowers that are less vibrant and striped instead of spotted. Instead of a spur, the base of the sepals swells over the ovary, which gradually develops into an elongated fruit that the flower still clings to. This gives the older flowers on the lower part of the stem a strange appearance, with long, swollen necks. The seeds are small and numerous. There are other varieties that have a similar overall effect. 77

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There are many types of Limnorchis; the lower leaves wrap around or protect the stem; the flowers are mostly in spikes or clusters; the sepals are nearly identical, and the petals are generally smaller than the sepals; the lip is either spread out or hangs down, not jagged or divided, with a spur. The Latin name means "marsh-dweller."

Often in a nice spot in a marsh, near the woods, we can see a dozen of these beautiful plants, their strong leafy stalks sometimes reaching up to four feet tall, standing tall with their delicate flower spikes above the lush grass. The long, narrow leaves are bright green and smooth, and the many small, delicate blossoms, densely clustered along the stem, are pure white, each having a long spur like a little tail, with a green bract at the base of its small stem, and they smell amazing. There are several similar types, mostly with green flowers; this is the prettiest and least rare.

There are many types of Cypripedium, featuring large, broad leaves and one or more big, drooping flowers. Each flower has two fertile anthers with short filaments, one on either side of the column beneath the stigma, and a noticeable, petal-like sterile anther that arches over the stigma. They can easily be recognized by their unique lip, which is a large inflated sac, giving rise to the common names Lady's Slipper and Indian Moccasin, as well as the Greek name meaning "foot of Venus."

Beautiful and decorative, with a thick, hairy stem, standing one to two feet tall and featuring a few striking flowers, rich and harmonious although not vivid in color, with a lip about an inch long, dull white, veined with purple, and brownish or purplish sepals and petals that are very long, narrow, and twisted. This plant grows in mountain woods and can be found around Yosemite. There is a picture in Miss Parsons's Wild Flowers of California. C. Califórnicum is similar but has more flowers, with greenish-yellow sepals and petals, and a pinkish lip. C. parviflòrum has a yellow lip and purplish sepals, growing in northern woods across the continent. None of these plants is common. 79

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A small family; ours includes long-lasting, sharp herbs, with alternating, smooth leaves and leaf stems; perfect flowers with bracts, arranged in a dense spike at the tip, lacking calyx or corolla; usually three or six stamens; an ovary with one to five stigmas; fruit that can be a capsule or a berry.

There are two types of Anemopsis.

This plant has several large, cream-white flowers that, at first glance, seem to have five to eight petals and a long, protruding knob in the center. However, what looks like a corolla is actually an involucre, about an inch and a half across, surrounding the base of a long, conical spike filled with numerous small, greenish flowers. These flowers are partly embedded in the fleshy part of the spike, lacking sepals or petals, but each has a small white bract at its base, making the spike appear to be covered in symmetrically arranged scales. The flower has six to eight stamens at the base of the ovary and three to four stigmas. The superior ovaries form small pods that open at the top when ripe, leaving the spike neatly dotted with holes. The relatively thick, hollow, reddish stems range from six inches to two feet tall, are covered in hair, and the smooth, light-green leaves, measuring two to ten inches long, mostly grow from the root, with leaf stalks that widen at the base and partially sheath the stem. The creeping rootstocks are peppery and acrid, used for medicinal purposes, and are highly valued by Spanish-Californians. These beautiful, unusual plants thrive in alkaline or salty swamps in the south. The name comes from Greek, meaning "anemone" and "appearance," though the flowers don’t resemble Anemones very much.

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This is a very small family in this country because they prefer tropical climates, where some of them are trees. Ours typically grow on the roots of other plants. They have toothless, mostly alternate leaves, often without leaf stalks or stipules, and have small flowers with a four- or five-lobed calyx and no corolla. The four or five stamens are positioned opposite the calyx lobes, at the edge of a fleshy disk, and the ovary is one-celled and located below, with one style, developing into a one-seeded fruit.

There are four types of Comandra, one of which is European; smooth, long-lasting herbs with leaves arranged alternately and flowers grouped together, without bracts. The calyx is somewhat bell-shaped, usually with five lobes, its tube lined with a disk, the stamens attached at the base of the lobes, and the anthers connected to the lobes by clusters of hairs.

This is a pretty plant that grows from a few inches up to about a foot tall. It branches out and has a somewhat woody base, with pale green, smooth, slightly thick, and rather stiff leaves that turn into pinkish scales on the lower stem. The flowers are small, usually flesh-colored, thick in texture, with slender stems, and they form terminal, flat-topped clusters. The fruit, which is about the size of a small pea, has the remains of the calyx on top, looking like a rose hip. This plant is common in dry plains and hillsides and stands out because of its pale and somewhat unusual coloring.

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A relatively small family, mainly from warm regions but found in various places; they can be herbs or shrubs. The leaves are arranged alternately or grow directly from the root, with leaf stalks that are more or less heart-shaped and without stipules. The flowers are perfect, mostly large, and can be symmetrical or irregular in shape, with or without a corolla; the calyx has three to six lobes or can be irregular. The stamens range from six to many and are attached to the pistil; the ovary is either entirely or partially below the attachment point. The fruit is usually a six-celled capsule containing many seeds.

There are several types of Asarum.

The attractive leaves of this perennial are its most noticeable feature. They have long, hairy stems and are heart-shaped with smooth edges, measuring three to five inches wide, dark green, nicely veined, and often beautifully spotted with white, smooth on the top and hairy underneath. We see them right away in the damp, dark woods where they grow, but unless we look closely, we might miss the single, large, unusual, purplish-brown flower, which resembles the color of dried leaves and sits close to the ground as if trying to conceal itself. This flower has twelve stamens with thick filaments and six styles that are joined at the base. There are no petals, but the hairy calyx has three lobes, sometimes an inch and a half long, with long points resembling tails. The seed pod is roundish, topped by the faded calyx and stamens. The rootstock can’t be used as a substitute for ginger, but it smells and tastes very aromatic and pungent. This plant is similar to the Wild Ginger of the East, but it is more attractive.

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A large family, widely spread out, mostly consisting of herbs or low shrubs, with smooth leaves, often having stipules that wrap around the swollen joints of the stem. The small flowers lack petals, and the calyx usually looks like a corolla and has three to six divisions. There are four to nine stamens and a superior, mostly triangular ovary, with two or three styles or stigmas, resulting in a dry, one-seeded fruit, which is typically brown or black. The type used to make flour is grown in northern Asia, and the name Buckwheat, derived from German, means "beech-wheat," because the grain resembles tiny beech nuts. There are several common "weeds" in this family, including Dock, Sorrel, and Smartweed.

Chorizanthes are short plants with branching stems, no stipules, and leaves that create a rosette at the base and fade quickly. The small flowers have six sepals and are grouped in small clusters, typically featuring one flower in each thin involucre, which has two to six teeth with bristles at the tips. There are usually nine stamens at the base of the perianth, and the styles are three, with rounded stigmas on top.

An unusual, dry-looking plant that creates lovely patches of purplish color on arid mesas. The stiff, rough purplish stem rises a few inches tall, emerging from several dull green or reddish root leaves, branching widely and abruptly toward the top and producing many small flowers. The involucres are a deep red or purple, with very prickly edges, the sepals are bright pink, beautifully fringed with white and striped with a darker color, and the filaments are long and threadlike, topped with purple anthers. The flowers are incredibly pretty when looked at closely, though they're too small to have much impact, but the plant stands out because of its color and shape. C. staticoìdes is similar, but its sepals are not fringed. 87

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There are many types of Rumex, or Dock, which are rough herbs with leafy, branching stems that have noticeable, papery stipules, strong taproots, and acidic or bitter juice. The large leaves alternate and have smooth or wavy edges; the flowers are small and can be greenish or reddish, found on jointed stems in branching clusters; there are six stamens; three styles, and the stigmas are shield-shaped with a tuft of hairs at the tip. The six parts of the flower are arranged in two sets, with three smaller outer parts that are green and three larger inner parts that are colored, becoming veiny and bigger as they develop into fruit, forming valves or wings (often with a seed on the back of one or more of them), which closely cover the three-sided fruit. These wings make the fruits of Docks stand out more than the flowers. The Latin name comes from a word meaning "to suck," because the Romans would suck on the leaves to quench their thirst.

In ideal conditions, this is a striking member of a rather simple genus, about a foot tall, with a smooth, thick reddish stem and smooth, pale blue-green leaves that feel like thin rubber, featuring a prominent mid-vein on both sides. The small, inconspicuous flowers turn into clusters of showy valves or wings, wonderfully unique and beautiful in color, resembling Begonia flowers. Initially, these wings are pale green, but they gradually brightens to shades of salmon, rose, and red, fading to brown and creating lovely combinations of vibrant color, especially against the dry backdrop of the sand hills they grow in, and they last a long time in water, making them very decorative. If these wings, which are nearly an inch wide, are pulled apart, a three-sided achene, like a tiny nut, will be found inside.

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There are many types of Eriogonum, which are herbs or shrubs native to America, mostly found in the western regions and growing in dry areas. They are very numerous and hard to tell apart. The leaves, lacking sheaths or stipules, are often covered with white hairs and typically grow in a spreading cluster at the base of the stem. The numerous small flowers, on very slender stems, have six sepals that are thin and often colored, forming clusters of various shapes that emerge from more or less bell-shaped or top-shaped structures with six teeth. There are nine stamens with thin, often hairy filaments, and a three-part style with rounded stigmas. The name comes from the Greek word meaning "wooly knees," referencing the fuzzy joints of the stem.

This is a really unique-looking plant, with strange inflated, hollow stalks that are about two feet tall, getting wider at the top. The branches, which are also swollen, stick out awkwardly in all directions and have a few tiny yellow flowers. The stalks, which are a pale bluish-green, resemble some odd type of reed, but the dark green leaves, which grow in a rosette at the base, look a lot like the leaves of cultivated violets and seem completely out of place with the rest of the plant. This plant grows on the plateau in the Grand Canyon and in similar locations.

This plant is about a foot and a half tall, and the stem is swollen, but not as much as the last one. The flowers are more noticeable, forming somewhat flat-topped clusters that are about three-quarters of an inch across. The small flowers are cream-white or pinkish, the buds are deep pink, and the stamens are long with tiny, pinkish anthers. The leaves are dull green on the top and pale with fine hairs underneath, growing in a cluster at the base. 91 92

These are attractive plants with pretty, quirky little balls of flowers, and they stand out on dry, rocky mesas. They have several slender, pale, fuzzy stems that are about ten inches tall, sprouting from a tight clump of small, dull-green leaves that are pale and fuzzy on both sides, with the smaller ones almost white. At the tip, they have a dense flower cluster about an inch and a half across, which is very fuzzy and lovely. The little flowers feature cream-colored, fuzzy involucres; the outer sepals are broader than the inner ones, and the pedicels, stamens, and pistil match the color of the sepals, either a bright sulfur-yellow or cream-white, but they don’t mix on the same plant, sometimes with a hint of red. These flowers are very popular with children in Idaho, who make necklaces out of the fuzzy balls, similar to "daisy chains."

This is a large, attractive plant with a thick, smooth stem that's one to two feet tall and woody at the base. It has somewhat thick leaves that are slightly fuzzy, dark green on top and white with fine hairs underneath. The flowers grow in feathery clusters that are cream-white or yellow, often measuring more than six inches across, with red buds. They are beautiful and noticeable on bare mountainsides, giving off a honey-like scent.

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In ideal conditions, this is a beautiful shrub that grows between two to four feet tall, featuring shreddy, reddish bark and long, straight branches that stand upright and are densely packed with small, thick leaves. The leaves are dark olive-green on top and lighter, fuzzy on the underside, with rolled-back edges. The flowers are about three-eighths of an inch wide, dull white or light pink, with pink buds, forming large, feathery clusters that sit flat on long, stiff, bare, reddish flower stalks, rising upright all over the bush. This plant is very valuable for bees and grows on mesas and mountain slopes.

This plant is quite beautiful and noticeable, with flowers that have a bright and unique shade of sulfur yellow. The stem is fuzzy and often reddish, about a foot tall, with two or three branches at the top, each holding a cluster of many small, sweet-smelling flowers with attractive stamens. The gray-green leaves mostly grow in a rosette on the ground and are covered with fine white fuzz on the underside. Their soft colors blend well with the bright flower color and the pale sandy soil they thrive in. E. flàvum is similar and found widely. E. incànum has the same color but is much smaller, often tinged with red, with gray leaves forming a dense, velvety mat, and it grows at high altitudes in sandy spots on rocks, commonly around Yosemite Valley. The alpine variety is very small. There are several other types of Sulfur Flower.

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A beautiful desert variety of Wild Buckwheat. The pale, fuzzy stem is between one to two feet tall, fairly sturdy, with two or three upright branches at the top. The leaves grow all from the base, are gray-green in color, and have a fine white fuzz on the underside. The small white and pink flowers cluster along the branches in small clusters, with reddish bracts, forming a spike about three inches long. Overall, the plant has a strangely pale yet quite attractive appearance. It grows abundantly on the rim of the Grand Canyon.

There are many types of Polygonum, both in the East and the West, many of which are minor, some that grow in water, and some that have a woody base, with alternating leaves and sheathing stipules; the sepals come in sets of four or five; the stamens range from five to nine; the style has two or three branches with rounded stigmas. The name comes from the Greek, meaning "many knees," referring to the swollen joints found in some types.

This plant is about two feet tall, very pretty, and quite noticeable. The overall look of the smooth stem and the green leaves is somewhat grass-like. The small, creamy-white flowers have lovely stamens and pinkish bracts, growing in tight, round, pointed clusters that are one to two inches long at the tips of the stalks. The buds are pink, and the clusters with unopened flowers resemble pink beads. This attractive plant grows among the tall grasses in mountain meadows and has a delightful honey fragrance.

A large family that is widely spread out, usually thriving in salty or alkaline soil; they are herbs or shrubs, generally juicy and salty or bitter, often coated with white powder or meal, without stipules; leaves are thick, usually arranged alternately, sometimes absent; flowers can be perfect or imperfect, small, greenish, without petals; the calyx has two to five sepals, rarely just one, and female flowers sometimes lack a calyx; there are as many stamens as sepals, or fewer, located opposite them; the ovary is mostly above with one to three styles or stigmas; the fruit is small, dry, containing one seed, sometimes covered by a bladder-like layer. 97 98 Spinach and beets are part of this family; many are considered "weeds," like Lamb's Quarters.

There are two types of Grayia, named after Asa Gray; low shrubs with stamens and pistils in separate flowers, either on the same plant or on different plants.

An unusual and striking desert shrub, about three feet tall, very dense in shape, with tangled, angular, gray branches, spiny and filled with small, alternating, toothless leaves that are pale green and somewhat thick but not rigid. The flowers are small and not very noticeable, but the female ones are surrounded by prominent bracts that expand and become papery as they bear fruit, somewhat like those of Docks. They often change from yellowish-green to a variety of beautiful, bright, warm shades of pink or magenta, and the branches become heavy with these uniquely colored seed vessels, giving the shrub a peculiar, crowded appearance. In favorable settings, such as the Mojave Desert, it creates stunning patches of color, especially when contrasted with the pale gray of sagebrush.

There is only one type of Cycloloma; leaves alternate, either smooth or fuzzy, with uneven teeth; flowers can be perfect or female, featuring five sepals, five stamens, and two or three styles; the fruit is horizontally winged.

Very curious round plants, six to twenty inches tall, usually completely purple, sometimes green, and rarely white, creating a brilliant effect in the fall on the sandy areas they grow in. They consist of a mass of intertwined branches, with hardly any leaves except at the base, and very small flowers. When their seeds are ripe, and they are dry and brittle, the wind easily uproots them and sends them rolling across the plain, scattering their seeds along the way. They flip and bounce as if they were alive, eventually coming to rest against a wire fence or some other obstacle, where a traveler might see them from a train and marvel at the unusual, dry, round clumps. There are other tumbleweeds, like Tumbling Mustard, Sisymbrium allissimum, and Amaránthus álbus, which are not from this family. 99

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A pretty large family, found all over, most common in America. Ours are herbs, often fleshy, with no stipules; stems can be fragile, swollen at the joints; leaves are opposite, usually smooth, often uneven; flowers are perfect, with no petals, but the calyx looks like a corolla, with four or five lobes or teeth, and are somewhat funnel-shaped; there are one or several flowers in a cluster with a supporting bract; stamens are three to five, with slender filaments; there's one style with a rounded stigma; the green base of the calyx is drawn down around the ovary, making it look inferior, and it hardens into a nut-like fruit; seeds are sometimes winged.

Quamoclidions have a strange habit of blooming in the afternoon, which is why they’re called Four-o'clock. The flowers typically have five stamens and are clustered together, emerging from a structure that looks a lot like a calyx, so it’s often confused for one. It gives the impression that the flowers have gathered together and are sharing a single calyx. The fruit is hard, smooth, and somewhat round.

The leaves of this low, sturdy, and spreading perennial are about one to two inches long, light bluish-green, somewhat heart-shaped, and rather rough and coarse. The stems are often hairy and sticky. The foliage contrasts sharply with the bright pink or magenta flowers, which are about an inch wide and have a slightly sweet scent. They resemble Morning-glories, sharing the same stripes of deeper color. The long stamens droop to one side, the pistil is long and purple, and the bell-shaped involucre holds around six flowers. These plants are striking and quite attractive. They grow on the plateau in the Grand Canyon.

There are several types of Hesperonia, similar to Quamoclidion, but the bell-shaped involucre has only one flower, which is also bell-shaped and typically has five separate stamens. The fruit is roundish, not angled or ribbed, and usually smooth. 101

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This is very common in Southern California and forms large, low clumps of yellowish-green, sticky, and hairy leaves, dotted with bright little flowers that bloom in the afternoon. The base is woody, and the weak, hairy stems are supported by bushes, as if climbing over them. The leaves are quite thick, about an inch long, and the flowers are bell-shaped, about three-quarters of an inch across, usually magenta, but often in various shades of pink, sometimes quite pale, with long stamens drooping to one side. The involucre is often purplish and very hairy and sticky. The overall effect from a distance is cheerful and attractive, though the plant isn't as appealing up close.

This plant has a long, hairy, sticky stem that's over a foot long, with thick, dull-green leaves that are also hairy and sticky. The flowers are about half an inch long, white or slightly pink, and are quite delicate and pretty, even though the plant itself isn't particularly good-looking. It blooms at night, with the flowers gradually closing up in the morning sun. This variety is common in the southern part of the state, found in mountain canyons, while Hesperonia glutinosa is commonly found in the north.

There are several types of Abronia, all native to America, featuring branching, usually sticky and hairy stems, thick leaves without teeth, and leaf stalks that grow in pairs, with one leaf in each pair being somewhat larger than the other. The flowers are generally shaped like a salver, with five lobes, a slender style, and between three to five uneven stamens that are attached to the tube of the perianth and do not stick out. They grow in clusters, with many flowers on long stalks that emerge from the angles of the leaves. The fruit has wings. The name comes from the Greek word meaning graceful, but most of these plants grow in a rather awkward manner. 103

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This plant is so beautifully colored and decorative in shape that it’s really eye-catching, especially against the sandy soil where it grows, deserving its Greek name even more than some of its slightly awkward siblings. It stands about fourteen inches tall, with a sturdy but somewhat sprawling, low-lying stem that is pale, pinkish, sticky, and fuzzy. The leaves have long stalks and are a soft bluish-green, leathery, and smooth, but fuzzy along the mid-vein on the underside. The flowers are numerous, relatively small, and arranged in attractive round clusters that are about two inches wide, featuring a papery, pinkish or yellowish covering made up of about five separate, rounded bracts. The calyx resembles a corolla and is salver-shaped, with a long yellowish or greenish tube and five lobes that are nicely crinkled at the edges. The seed pod is quite unique, looking like a round, yellowish sponge with hooks protruding from it, and the flowers have a wonderfully sweet scent. This plant is sometimes called Snowball.

The coloring of this plant, one of the prettiest of its kind, is striking and unusual, making it stand out while growing in the sand near the sea or in the desert. The thick leaves are a light bluish-green, and the thick stem, which awkwardly sprawls across the ground, has a unique shade of pink and is sticky and hairy, just like the involucres. The small delicate flowers are an unusual shade of pinkish-lilac—light yet vivid—creating a striking contrast to the coloring of the stems and foliage, and they grow in beautiful clusters, with an involucre that has five to fifteen papery bracts. They are highly fragrant and resemble garden Verbenas, so the name fits quite well. A. umbellàta has slender stems and almost smooth leaves, occasionally with wavy edges, about an inch long, tapering at the base to a slender leaf-stalk, and features deep-pink flowers. It’s common all along the California coast, blooming in the summer and autumn. A. marítima is found from Santa Barbara to San Diego and is a sturdy, coarse, sticky plant, with small, deep-magenta flowers. 105

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Pretty from afar, but rather rough up close, this sprawling plant has long, thick, rubbery stems that spread out on the ground, along with broad leaves and small yellow flowers. These flowers have a slight fragrance and grow in nice clusters about an inch and a half wide, with five bracts. It's commonly found along the seashore and blooms more or less year-round. The plant has a long, thick root that the indigenous people eat.

There are several types of Allionia, one from Asia and the others from America. The bell-shaped flowers have unequal stamens, usually three, on the receptacle. The unique, five-lobed involucre, which becomes large and paper-like after blooming, holds three to five flowers. The fruit is ribbed and often hairy. The shape of the involucre likely inspired the common name Umbrella-wort.

A pretty plant, one to four feet tall, with a slender stem and long, narrow, bluish-green leaves that have slightly wavy edges and almost no leaf stalks. The flowers are delicate and beautiful, coming in various shades of pink, shaped like small morning glories, about half an inch wide, with the stamens and style sticking out. There are three to five flowers in a cluster, surrounded by a purple and green involucre. This involucre is interesting because, before the flowers bloom, it is closed around a group of buds, resembling a lovely five-angled bud, so you wouldn't guess that there are more tiny buds inside. When the flowers open and fall off, which happens quickly, this involucre unfolds and expands into a very thin, papery, five-lobed disk, three-quarters of an inch across, veined with purple, very pretty and delicate, looking like a strange little flower without a center. The smooth stem splits near the top, and the slightly hairy branches carry numerous clusters of involucres with flowers inside them. This plant thrives in dry soil, is commonly found, and grows as far east as Illinois. 107

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Not a very large family, mostly from warm regions. Ours are spreading herbs, mostly lying flat on the ground; leaves are usually opposite or in whorls; flowers are perfect; sepals are four or five; petals are many, small, or absent; stamens are few or many, usually attached to the calyx; the ovary is sometimes superior; and the fruit is a capsule. In this country, most of this family consists of dull little plants with unnoticeable flowers.

There are many types of Mesembryanthemum, mostly from Africa; ours are smooth, very juicy perennials; they have no stipules; the leaves are opposite; the calyx lobes are unequal and resemble leaves; the petals are long, narrow, and very numerous, attached along with the countless stamens on the calyx tube; the ovary has ten or twelve styles, turning into a kind of berry that contains many tiny seeds and opens at the top when it rains. The really long name comes from the Greek, meaning "noonday flower."

One of the strangest-looking plants you can imagine, its thick stems and large flat leaves are covered with millions of tiny translucent beads that look like glass or ice, giving the plant a shimmering effect. These beads are especially clustered along the wavy edges and undersides of the leaves, as well as on the calyxes. They feel quite hard to the touch, but when crushed underfoot, they release a watery juice that’s said to be alkaline and harmful to shoe leather. The stems and leaves are a bright light green, with the tips and edges tinged with a vivid pinkish-red, especially on dry mesas where this plant can cover large areas with flat rosettes, creating a thick, beautiful red carpet. In shadier, wetter areas, like the crevices of the sea cliffs in La Jolla, it grows into a tall, large plant that is barely tinged with red and very shiny. The flowers are about an inch wide, featuring a greenish center surrounded by many small yellowish anthers and a single row of white or flesh-colored petals, reminiscent of the tentacles of a sea anemone. In fact, the whole plant oddly resembles some low form of animal life. It’s a nuisance to farmers in the southern coastal areas and also thrives in the Mojave Desert, as well as in France and the Canary Islands. 109 110

A very unusual and noticeable plant often covers sandy slopes with a blanket of trailing, fleshy stems and leaves thickly dotted with thousands of bright flowers. The stems are thick and flat, several feet long; the leaves are three-sided with flat surfaces, ending in a small reddish point; the calyx lobes are three-sided like the leaves. The stems, leaves, and calyx lobes are all pale bluish-green with a waxy coating and extremely succulent, with watery juice oozing out in large drops when the plant is broken. The twigs seem to fit into a kind of socket, making them come out easily, so the plant separates almost with just a touch. The fragrant flowers are two to three inches wide, brightly colored but somewhat harsh, with many purplish-pink petals resembling the rays of a composite flower, surrounding a fuzzy ring of countless stamens, featuring white, threadlike filaments and small, straw-colored anthers, around a dark green center made up of the top of the calyx and six to ten styles of the ovary. This adaptable plant is very useful and decorative in hot, sandy areas where few other plants survive, and can be seen hanging its long stems over the sea cliffs all along the coast, from Patagonia to Marin County in California. It also grows in Africa and is widely cultivated. The fruit is edible, with pulp and tiny seeds similar to those of a fig. 111

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A large family, widely spread out, mostly found in the northern hemisphere, including both the beautiful Pinks and the unremarkable Chickweeds. They are herbs with regular, mostly perfect flowers, typically having four or five sepals; usually four or five petals, sometimes none; stamens that match or are double the number of petals; a single-celled, superior ovary; styles ranging from two to five; and fruit that is a capsule containing several or many, kidney-shaped seeds that open at the top by valves or teeth. The leaves are opposite and smooth-edged; stems are usually swollen at the joints. The name Pink comes from the petals of some varieties being cut into points, or "pinked."

There are many types of Arenaria, found in various places and hard to tell apart. They have small, white flowers with five petals, which usually aren't notched, along with ten stamens and typically three styles. The leaves are usually long and narrow, often stiff and growing in clusters. The capsule is somewhat round, splitting into usually three sections, each with two parts. These plants often grow in dry, sandy areas, some at very high elevations, some by the sea, which is where the Latin name meaning "sandy" and the common name Sandwort come from.

This plant has small white flowers, around half an inch wide, and it varies a lot. Sometimes, the stem is a bit rough, only three or four inches tall, coming from a bunch of small leaves that are stiff and almost prickly. Other times, the stem is smooth, six to eight inches tall, and the leaves look like fine, stiff grass. It grows on dry hills and mountains, up to thirteen thousand feet, from Nebraska and Wyoming to Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

There are many types of Silene, found in various places, and they are generally sticky plants, which is why they are commonly called Catchfly. The flowers are mostly fairly large; the calyx can be inflated or tubular, with five teeth; there are five petals, each with long claws that often have scales at the top, creating a "crown"; there are ten stamens; styles are usually three; the capsule opens at the tip with three or six teeth; and there are many seeds. 113

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An attractive little dwarf that only grows in the high mountains. It has a long taproot and many spreading stems, packed with tiny, stiff, pointed, dark-green leaves, forming tight clumps that can be six to twenty inches across, looking like cushions of tough moss and dotted all over with pretty little flowers. The flowers are less than half an inch wide with a bell-shaped calyx and five bright pinkish-purple petals, sometimes white, featuring a "crown" of small scales. We find this resilient little plant huddling on desolate mountain tops, blooming vibrantly at the edge of the eternal snows, in arctic alpine regions around the globe, at elevations of up to thirteen thousand feet. It varies in appearance. There's a picture in Mrs. Henshaw's Mountain Wild Flowers of Canada.

A rather unnoticeable "weed" from Europe, commonly found in fields and along roadsides, has a slender, hairy stem that's about a foot tall, and hairy leaves. The small flowers grow in a one-sided cluster and have a purplish calyx that is sticky and hairy, along with white or pinkish petals that feature a small "crown," with each petal twisted to one side like the sails of a windmill. This plant is widely spread across nearly all warm temperate regions.

From six inches to over a foot tall, with a thick, perennial taproot that’s one to two feet long, and branching, half-erect stems, both the leaves and stems are covered with fine down. The dull-green foliage contrasts nicely with the bright vermilion of the stunning flowers. The flowers are more than an inch across, with petals usually split into two broad lobes, flanked by two narrower, shorter points on the sides, making the "crown" stand out. The flowers are even more vibrant in color than S. laciniata and are strikingly beautiful, glowing like coals of fire on the brown forest floor, typically found in the open mountain woods. They are widely distributed in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada Mountains but are not very common anywhere. S. Hookeri has large, beautiful pink flowers that are often more than two inches across, sometimes white, and it grows on shady hillsides in the Northwest, except in Idaho. 115

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This plant has striking, noticeable flowers, bright red or pinkish-scarlet in color, about an inch and a half wide, with five petals beautifully split at the ends into four long sections. Each petal features two small bumps that create a lovely "crown" in the center of the flower. The rough, thin stems can grow from one to over two feet tall and have several branches, with flowers appearing in pairs or threes at the ends. The leaves are long, narrow, somewhat rough, and the entire plant is hairy and sticky. This species is common around Pasadena and other areas in Southern California and looks stunning on Point Loma, where the vibrant flowers stand out in the underbrush like bits of flame. S. laciniàta var. Gréggii is also common in Arizona and New Mexico.

Pretty elegant, with a slender stem around a foot tall, smooth bluish-green leaves, and flowers about three-quarters of an inch wide; the calyx is quite inflated, yellowish-white and papery, with brownish veins, and the petals are cream-colored, featuring two lobes and a "crown."

There are a few types of Vaccaria found in Europe and Asia, which are smooth annual plants featuring clasping leaves and red or pink flowers that grow in terminal clusters. The calyx is five-angled and swells in the fruit stage, with five teeth and no bracts. The petals are longer than the calyx and lack appendages. There are ten stamens and two styles. Both the Latin and common names reference the usefulness of some varieties as fodder.

Pretty nice, with a leafy, branching stem, standing one to three feet tall, bluish-green leaves, and flowers that are less than an inch long. It has a ribbed, yellowish-green calyx with reddish edges, and the petals are a striking and unique shade of warm reddish-pink, marked with deeper veins. This is a European "weed," often found in abandoned areas and farm fields. 117

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There are many types of Alsine, commonly found in damp soil and shady spots, featuring small, starry white flowers; with four or five sepals; four or five petals that are deeply two-lobed or sometimes absent; three to ten stamens and three to five styles; a capsule that is roundish or oblong, usually shorter than that of Cerastium, splitting below the middle, with twice as many valves as there are styles and many seeds. Many of these plants are considered weeds. They are often referred to as Stitchwort. The Greek name means "grove," which is where some types are found.

An attractive little plant with smooth stems that grow six to fifteen inches tall, featuring pretty flowers that are less than half an inch across. The flowers bloom individually or in loose clusters, with white petals that are deeply two-lobed, giving the illusion of ten petals. The capsule turns nearly black when ripe. This plant is commonly found in moist, grassy areas in Yosemite, and it tends to be taller and more slender in the shade compared to when it's exposed to open sunlight. It can thrive at altitudes of up to ten thousand feet and is also found in the East and in Asia.

There are many types of Cerastium, common in temperate regions, that look like Alsine but are usually fuzzy, which is why they're called Mouse-ear Chickweeds. The flowers are white, typically featuring five sepals, five petals that are notched at the tips or have two lobes, ten or five stamens, and five stigmas. The cylindrical capsule, often curved, splits at the top into ten teeth.

On the ledges damp with the mist and spray from the Yosemite waterfalls, among the shiny, wet grasses, these lovely little white flowers really stand out. They have a delightful honey scent, are about half an inch wide, and have somewhat fuzzy stems that are five to ten inches tall. This is the most beautiful Cerastium, even if it's not as "mousy" as some, and it grows in both dry and wet areas. 119

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A fairly small family, mostly American; herbs, typically with thick, juicy leaves and stems, with flowers that only open in sunlight. They generally have just two sepals, but the petals can range from two to five or more; the stamens are sometimes numerous, but when they match the petals in number, they are positioned opposite them; the one-celled ovary is on top, turning into a many-seeded capsule. Pusley, or Purslane, is one of the most common garden weeds; everyone knows how hard it is to keep the spreading rosettes out of gravel paths, and we’re all familiar with the bright, short-lived flowers of the cultivated Portulaca. The Purslane-tree, or Spek-boom, in South Africa is often a major food source for elephants, and its leaves give the landscape its distinctive coloring.

There are several types of Montia, which are closely related to Claytonia, mostly found in North America. They are fairly juicy plants, very smooth and often have a "bloom." The flowers are white or pinkish, featuring two sepals; the five petals, which can be equal or slightly unequal, are either separate or more or less connected at the base. There are either five or three stamens; the style branches into three; and the capsule has three valves with one to three shiny, black seeds that are ejected from the capsule when ripe due to the elastic closing of the valves.

The Indigenous people gather these pretty, juicy little plants for salad, and the tender, bright green leaves look like they would taste great. They grow in loose bunches, with several stems, ranging from a few inches to about a foot high. The root leaves have long stems and come in various sizes and shapes; the earliest ones are long and narrow, resembling little green tongues, while the later ones are oval, round, and kidney-shaped, often with a dull yellowish-pink hue in dry areas. The stem leaves are quite unusual, as a single pair have fused around the stem to form a circular or slightly lobed disk, one or two inches wide, with the stalk going right through the center. This leaf creates a nice, shallow saucer shape, topped with a small, loose cluster of tiny flowers on slender stalks that spring from the middle. This plant is commonly found in orchards or vineyards, as well as in shady areas in the foothills and canyons, and has been cultivated in England for salad for a long time. It's also known as Indian Lettuce and Squaw Cabbage. M. perfoliàta is similar.

This charming little flower looks like the Spring Beauty of the East, Claytonia Virginica, and blooms in late spring, among the ferns and wet grasses near the Yosemite waterfalls and in similar spots. The white flowers, about three-quarters of an inch across, often have a pink tint, and the five stamens are violet. The delicate stems, around eight inches tall, are weak and almost trail along the ground, while the pale-green leaves are smooth, with the lower ones slightly thick and juicy, featuring small bulblets in the axils that drop off when dry; the capsule usually contains just one seed.

There are several types of Claytonia that look like Montia.

A small plant, about three or four inches tall, with a juicy reddish stem and thick bluish-green leaves. The leaves growing from the root are narrow, while the two stem leaves are wider. The flowers are over half an inch across, white with a hint of pink and delicately veined, featuring a little yellow at the base of the petals; the pistil and stamens are pink; the two sepals are yellowish-green. This plant grows on moist mountain slopes, reaching altitudes of up to nine thousand feet, sometimes right at the edge of the snow. It's pretty and delicate, resembling the eastern Spring Beauty. 123

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There are only one or two types of Spraguea, native to North America; they’re short herbs, not very juicy, with thick roots; the leaves are arranged alternately or grow from the base; the small flowers are in coiled clusters; there are two papery sepals and four papery petals; the stamens can be one, two, or three; the style is long, with two stigmas; the capsule is roundish, with two valves, containing few to many shiny black seeds.

Sandy spots in the mountains are often brightened by lovely patches of soft pink blooms from this attractive and unusual little plant. Near Wawona, on the Glacier Point trail, I saw at least half an acre of sand covered in beautiful rose color. At moderate altitudes, the plants are about ten inches tall, but they get smaller as they climb, and on the mountain tops, they are only about an inch high, forming close mats of small leaves. They have strong tap roots, and the leaves are dull gray-green, fairly thick and stiff but not really succulent, growing mostly in rosettes at the base. The leaves on the stem have shrunk to mere bracts, with several smooth, reddish stalks springing up from among them. Each stem has a close, roundish head, two or three inches across, made up of many tightly-coiled clusters of shaded pink, each containing countless small pink flowers, with the papery pink and white sepals and bracts being the most noticeable part. They overlap each other and have delicately ruffled edges. The three stamens are long and stick out, and the style is long and threadlike. The flower clusters resemble soft pink cushions, making the cute name Pussy-paws fitting for both its shape and color. Chipmunks really like the small black seeds.

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The members of this large and attractive family vary so much in appearance that it’s hard for someone not experienced to realize they are closely related. In fact, they don’t have any very distinctive features. They are all herbs, except for Clematis, which is shrubby, and all contain bitter juice, which is never milky or colored. They have numerous stamens and usually several pistils, which are superior and one-celled, with a single style. All parts of the flower are separate from each other and attached to the receptacle. The flowers often have unusual shapes, with spurs or hoods; sometimes they completely lack petals and instead have colored sepals that look like petals. The leaves come in various shapes and sizes, usually lobed or cut, but they don’t have stipules, and often their bases wrap around the stem. The fruit can be an achene, pod, or berry. Many of our most beautiful and popular garden flowers belong to this family, which is large and found all over the world, but is not common in the tropics.

There are many types of Ranunculus, mostly perennials, with fibrous roots, found in temperate and cold areas. Ours have yellow or white flowers, with three to five sepals and between three to fifteen petals, each petal having a nectar gland at its base; the many pistils develop into a round or oblong cluster of achenes. The leaves are variously cut and lobed, and the stem leaves are arranged alternately. Some varieties grow in water, and some have creeping stems. Certain types of Ranunculus can be confused with some types of Cinquefoils, but the calyx of a Buttercup doesn't have bractlets, unlike that of a Cinquefoil. The Latin name means "little frog," as these plants thrive in marshy areas.

The most common ones are appealing, often painting the fields for miles in bright gold, but the flowers aren’t as beautiful as some typical eastern varieties. The stems branch out and are somewhat hairy, ranging from nine inches to a foot and a half tall, with dark green leaves that can be smooth, hairy, or velvety, along with soft, hairy buds. The flowers are about an inch wide, featuring nine to sixteen shiny, bright yellow petals and pale green sepals that are turned back closely. The akenes have hooked tips. This leads to various barely distinguishable varieties.

Few flowers are as beautiful and intriguing in color and structure as Larkspurs. We all recognize their tall spikes of uniquely shaped blooms, which grow in gardens, and they’re even more delightful in their natural habitats, shining like sapphires on desert sands or brightening mountain woods with splashes of vibrant color. There are many varieties; ours are perennials, featuring palmately-divided leaves and usually blue or white flowers that are quite irregular in shape. They have five sepals that look like petals, with the top one extending into a spur at the back, and typically four petals, two of which are small and tucked inside the calyx-spur, while the larger two partially cover the pistils and numerous stamens. The pistils, numbering from one to five, develop into many-seeded pods. Some Larkspurs are toxic to cattle. The Latin name comes from a fancied resemblance of the flower to a dolphin in decorative art. Spanish Californians refer to it as Espuela del caballero, or Cavalier's spur.

Though it may be small at times, this is incredibly beautiful. In the Grand Canyon, on the plateau, it stands about a foot tall, with leathery, brownish-green leaves mostly coming from the root, and a cluster of five to twelve flowers. They are nearly an inch wide and have vibrant, iridescent colors; except for two small whitish petals, they are the deepest, brightest blue, beautifully tinged with violet, and feature brown anthers. In Tucson, among the rocks above the Desert Laboratory, it can grow over a foot tall, with a cluster longer than six inches and dull-green leaves that are slightly stiff and thick with long leaf-stalks, each lobe tipped with a bristle, creating an attractive clump. This plant thrives on dry plains and rocky hillsides, reaching heights of up to seven thousand feet. The image is from a Grand Canyon plant.

If the flowers were a little less pale, this would be a beautiful plant, as it can grow nearly four feet tall. The branching stem comes from a cluster of thick, tapering roots, with each branch ending in a long, crowded cluster of twenty or thirty flowers that have an opalescent hue, either white with a bluish or greenish spot on the tip of each sepal, or very light pink with a purplish or bluish spot. The dull, yellowish-green leaves are fairly thick and fuzzy, and the pods stand upright. This plant thrives in somewhat dry areas at moderate elevations, particularly around Yosemite.

A gorgeous flower at its peak, ranging from six inches to a foot and a half tall, with a smooth stem that’s reddish at the base and sleek, bright green leaves that are lighter underneath. The leaves are generally round in shape, with the lower ones having long, reddish leaf stalks that wrap around the stem. The roots are thick but not tuberous. The stunning flowers can be about an inch and a half wide, on long, somewhat spreading stems, appearing in clusters that can be few or many and are loosely arranged, with slightly fuzzy buds. The overall appearance of the flowers is a vibrant bright blue, but upon closer inspection, we see that the slightly fuzzy spikes are purplish, the blue sepals have bulges on the back that are pinkish in the front and greenish in the back. The two small upper petals are white with delicate purple stripes, while the lower petals, which are fuzzy with tufts of white down and split into two, are a deep pinkish-purple; sometimes the entire flower is a much paler shade. The anthers start out large and green, then shrink and turn yellow, with their thin filaments curling. This plant flourishes on dry hills. D. Párryi, found in California, grows about two feet tall, sharing a similar color but even more beautiful, with a cluster that’s nearly a foot long, packed with lovely flowers, each measuring an inch and a half across. The lower leaves are deeply cut almost to the center, forming seven divisions, each with three long, narrow lobes.

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Very handsome, over a foot tall, the upper stem is fuzzy, the lower is more or less hairy, and the leaves are somewhat velvety. The flowers are an inch or more long and are quite few, with long flower stalks, creating a loose cluster. They are fuzzy on the outside, all bright purple, except for the two upper petals, which are white with purple tips. The lower petals are fringed and tipped with hairs, and the spur is somewhat thick and wrinkled. These flowers, although described as blue, appear to me to have more true purple than most Larkspurs. They probably vary quite a bit in color. This grows in the Coast Ranges and the Sacramento Valley. There are many similar blue Larkspurs.

Scarlet seems like a strange color for a Larkspur, but there are two red varieties in the West. This plant is very airy and graceful, resembling a Columbine more than a Larkspur. The slender, branching stem can grow from one to over two feet tall and has a "bloom." The leaves are thick, smooth, and dark rich green on top, while pale underneath. The flowers are spaced apart, ranging from two to twelve on long stems, creating a loose, open cluster. Each flower is about an inch long; the sepals are scarlet fading to yellow, with the spur tipped in darker red, and the petals are yellow edged with crimson, not fuzzy. The two upper petals are notched and much larger than the two smaller lower petals, which are split into two points, with the edges of both sepals and petals slightly hairy; the buds are pale yellowish-green with hints of pink and red. These delightful flowers have a whimsical look as they sway their little pointed red caps in the dappled light of cool canyons by the mountain streams they favor. In southern California, we can find D. cardinàle, a more beautiful plant that can sometimes reach six feet tall, with larger, deeper red flowers that form a bigger, denser cluster. 133

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The beautiful Columbine gets its melodic name from the Latin word for "dove," because the spurs look like a circle of cute little pigeons. This common name is actually more fitting than the Latin name, Aquilegia, which stems from a fancied resemblance of the spurs to an eagle's claws. These plants are well-known and easily recognizable due to their unique flower shape. Everything about them is decorative and stunning: the foliage is attractive, and the flowers are large, brightly colored, and eye-catching. They are all perennials, with branching stems and compound leaves; the flowers typically droop, featuring five identical sepals that look like petals, and five petals that are also alike, with notable hollow spurs. The stamens, which are the inner ones without anthers, are numerous, and the five pistils develop into a cluster of five upright, seed-filled pods. There’s nectar in the spurs, which can only be accessed by "long-tongued" insects or hummingbirds, aiding in cross-pollination, while bees cleverly create holes in the spurs to get to the nectar despite their short tongues. There are quite a few beautiful varieties, both in the East and the West.

This lovely plant grows between one and over three feet tall, branches out, and has smooth, attractive light-green leaves and drooping flowers that are more than an inch and a half wide. The outside of the flower is pale scarlet, with yellow veins and tips, while the inside is yellow, and the spurs stand straight up and are three-quarters of an inch long. The flower looks like the Scarlet Columbine found in the East, but this plant is taller and has fewer blooms. It's commonly found in the moist, rich forests of Yosemite and the Coast Ranges, ranging from the foothills up to the alpine zone.

An incredibly beautiful flower, a white version of the large Blue Columbine, which is the "State flower" of Colorado, and occasionally has a hint of blue showing its connection. It’s a fairly slender plant, typically with several stems, standing one to two feet tall, with somewhat bluish-green leaves. The flowers are large and usually pure white, found in the mountains. 135

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Monkshoods are just as charming as their relatives Columbine and Larkspur, with a unique and individual appeal all their own. There are many varieties; they are mountain plants that thrive in temperate regions, featuring relatively weak stems and leaves similar to those of Larkspur. The blue and white flowers have a "hood," which is how these plants get their fitting name. This hood is made up of the upper and larger one of the five petal-like sepals that arch over and create a helmet-like covering for the two small petals, which have spurs and are hidden underneath; sometimes, there are three or more tiny petals below that look like stamens. The actual stamens are numerous and mature before the pistils, which helps ensure cross-pollination, and the fruit consists of a head with three to five many-seeded pods. The thick, turnip-shaped root is used in medicine but is extremely poisonous, leading to these plants also being known as Wolfsbane. Aconite is the ancient Greek name, and other common names include Blue-weed and Friar's-cap.

This attractive perennial, standing between two and six feet tall, thrives near streams, in mountain meadows, or in open woodlands. The flowers range from half an inch to over an inch long, primarily bright blue and white, with hints of violet, but can vary from almost white to deep blue, marked with purple veins. They are lighter on the inside and grow on thin stems in a long, loose cluster on a slightly bending stem. The two small, hammer-shaped petals are mostly hidden under the hood. The leaves alternate, with the lower ones having long stalks, and are deeply divided into three or five, either toothed or lobed sections. This plant can be found at altitudes up to twelve thousand feet.

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There are two types of Peony. This is a strong and very decorative perennial, vibrant and unique in color, with the fine leaves perfectly complementing the dark flowers. The roots are woody, the stems are smooth, and they grow between eight inches and a foot and a half tall, with smooth, rich green leaves that aren't shiny. The drooping flowers are about an inch and a half wide, featuring five or six greenish-purple sepals, five or six rich deep-red petals streaked with yellow and maroon; they have dull-yellow stamens and green pistils. The entire flower is thick and leathery in texture and somewhat coarse, sometimes so dark that it appears almost black. The flowers are often fragrant, but the plant has an unpleasant smell, similar to Skunk-cabbage, when crushed. The large seed-pods, usually five in number, are thick, leathery, and smooth, containing several seeds and are very noticeable, with the stems drooping as they ripen and the pods resting on the ground in large bunches. The whole plant is quite juicy, and the leaves and stems are streaked with red and have a "bloom," particularly on the sepals. This plant can grow in all kinds of places, from the hot plains of the south to the edges of snow in northern mountain canyons. In the south, it blooms in January and is sometimes referred to as Christmas-rose. The root is used for medicinal purposes by Spanish-Californians and by Native Americans, "to give their horses endurance." These plants were named after Paion, the physician of the gods.

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There are only a few types of Actaea, which are tall perennials featuring large, alternate, three-part leaves and small, white flowers arranged in short, terminal clusters. The sepals are about four in number and look like petals; there are four to ten petals, or sometimes none, each with claws; the stamens are many, with prominent white filaments; there is one pistil that has a broad, somewhat two-lobed stigma, and the fruit is a large, striking berry that can be red or white and is somewhat poisonous, containing many smooth, flat seeds.

This is a lovely plant, standing one to two feet tall, with a sturdy, smooth, branching stem and attractive leaves that are nicely lobed, with pointed edges, thin and soft to the touch, featuring noticeable veins. The sepals and petals of the small cream-white flowers aren’t as prominent as the many white stamens, which create a feathery look for the flower cluster that is one to two inches long and dotted with the dark tips of the pistils. The sepals and petals fall off early, and the stamens grow longer, making the cluster very light and delicate. The overall appearance of the plant, which thrives near shady mountain streams, is striking and elegant. It also grows in the East and is sometimes slightly sweet-smelling, but often has an unpleasant odor. The attractive, poisonous berries are oval or round, red or white, with a shiny surface, and contain many seeds. This plant can be found at altitudes of up to ten thousand feet. A very similar species, A. viridiflòra, grows in the mountains of Arizona.

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This is our only type of Trollius. It’s an extremely beautiful flower, especially when it grows in the snow or near the edge of a melting ice field in high mountains and along glacier margins. The attractive, toothed leaves are palmately lobed or divided, with the lower ones having long leaf stalks, a rich green color, and a glossy finish that highlights the flowers. The flowers grow individually at the tips of smooth, somewhat weak stems, ranging from one to two feet tall, and measure about one and a half inches across. The sepals, numbering from five to seven, are large, cream-white, and slightly greenish on the outside, making them the most noticeable part of the flower, as the petals are tiny and yellow, resembling stamens. There are fifteen to twenty-five of these small petals in a row, surrounding numerous real stamens, forming a beautiful golden center. The fruit is a head about an inch across, made up of eight to fifteen small pods with beaks, containing many smooth, oblong seeds. This plant resembles an Anemone, but it has these small yellow petals, while Anemones don’t have any; plus, the center is larger and brighter yellow, and the foliage is coarser.

There are three types of Trautvetteria: two American ones and one Asian.

A beautiful plant with a smooth, pale green stem that reaches two to three feet tall, featuring large, finely cut leaves that are smooth and a bright green color, with the lower leaves sometimes measuring up to eight inches across. The clusters of white flowers are large, charming, airy, and feathery, composed of many small flowers with tiny petal-like sepals, usually four, and no actual petals. The numerous stamens with white filaments are the most noticeable part, creating a small pompon effect. The fruits are multiple, inflated, four-angled, and form a cluster. It's unfortunate that this attractive plant has such an awful name. It thrives in moist woods at Mt. Rainier and similar environments. 143

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Anemones grow in temperate and cold regions everywhere. They don't have petals, but their sepals, which can number from four to twenty, look like petals. The leaves on the stem are arranged in whorls, creating a kind of involucre below the flower. There are many types; some have almost smooth, pointed achenes, some have densely woolly ones, and in others, the achenes have feathery tails. The name, pronounced anemòne in Latin and anémone in English, is fitting for the delicate types, like the eastern Wood Anemone, as it means "flower shaken by the wind."

An appealing plant, eight inches to a foot tall, featuring beautiful flowers and leaves. The flowers are white with a hint of pink, less than an inch wide, often soft on the outside, and the fruit cluster is elongated, smooth, and soft to the touch. This plant thrives on dry, rocky slopes in the Grand Canyon, above the plateau. Near Tucson, the flowers aren't as attractive, but the leaves are nicer.

Delicate, pale flowers stand out in the dark mountain woods, with slightly fuzzy, purplish stems that are eight to ten inches tall, and charming leaves that are thin in texture. The involucre leaves don’t have leaf stalks, are light green, dull on top, and paler and shiny underneath. The beautiful flowers measure between one and a half to over two inches across, featuring five pure white sepals, typically two of which are larger and longer than the rest, along with a bright yellow center. These can be found abundantly at Mt. Rainier. A. quinquefòlia var. Gràyi, from the Coast Ranges, is similar but often has flowers tinted with blue, and the involucre leaves have leaf stalks.

A charming little plant with a somewhat hairy, reddish stem, ranging from four to twelve inches tall, glossy dark green leaves that are lighter and fuzzy underneath, and flowers about half an inch wide, cream-white with purple or blue on the outside; the achenes are very fuzzy. This plant can be found at an altitude of ten thousand five hundred feet, growing in the East and in Asia, and is the smallest of the mountain anemones. 145

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These beautiful mountain flowers bloom in early spring, sometimes sticking their pretty faces right through a hole melted in a snowbank, and these brave little things are covered with silky wool all over, as if to keep warm. The flowers, which often bloom before the leaves expand, are about two inches wide, with five to eight cream-white sepals, tinged with blue and hairy on the outside, and they look much sturdier than most Anemones. The thick stems are quite woolly, ranging from six to eighteen inches tall, and the leaves are stunning, cut into many very fine divisions, incredibly feathery and pretty. The achenes have long, feathery tails and form very large, silky, fluffy heads, which are striking and noticeable.

There are many types of Caltha, fleshy marsh plants found in temperate and arctic regions. The leaves are undivided, mostly coming from the base and are somewhat heart-shaped. The flowers have large, petal-like sepals and no actual petals. This is the Latin name for the Marigold.

A beautiful little mountain marsh plant featuring a sturdy, purplish stem that stands four to eight inches tall, with smooth, light-green leaves often marked with purple veins underneath. The flowers are about an inch and a quarter wide, with eight to ten cream-white petals that have a blue tint on the outside, and stunning golden centers filled with many stamens. This plant blooms at the edge of melting snow and can grow up to twelve thousand feet. C. palústris, the Yellow Marsh Marigold, commonly found in the Northwest and in abundance in the East, has striking yellow flowers that look like large buttercups.

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There are many types of Clematis, or Virgin's Bower, that we all recognize, both in the East and West. They are popular favorites, commonly found and thriving in temperate regions. These are perennials with woody bases, which is unusual for this family. Typically, they are beautiful trailing vines that climb over bushes and rocks, using their twisting, curling leaf-stalks for support. The flowers don’t have petals or only have very small ones, but their sepals, usually four in number, look like petals; the stamens are plentiful. The many pistils create a round cluster of achenes, with their styles developing into long feathery tails, and these gray, fluffy heads are very noticeable and decorative once the flowers have faded. The leaves grow in pairs, which is uncommon in this family, with slender leaf-stalks, and are generally compound. Some plants produce only male flowers while others produce only female ones, and they look quite different; the male flowers are typically more attractive.

Near the top of Mt. Lowe, and in similar areas, we find this beautiful vine climbing over the rocks. The flowers are about an inch and a quarter to over two inches wide and range in color from almost pure white to a lovely soft pale yellow, with the beautiful clusters creating a striking contrast against the dark green leaves. The stamens and pistils are on separate plants. The flowers, leaves, and stems all have a velvety texture, and the achenes have tails that are an inch long, forming a head about two inches wide. The flowers are often so abundant that they create visible patches of pale color on the canyon sides in the Coast Range and Sierra Nevada Mountains.

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There are a few types of Atragene that look like Clematis.

This is uniquely attractive, as the flowers are large and beautiful and the leaves are very pretty. The leaves are split into three pointed leaflets, which are thin, light bright-green, and nicely cut or lobed. The trailing or climbing stems are almost smooth, slender, purplish above, and woody below. The flowers, which grow individually rather than in clusters, measure about two to three inches across, featuring four, sometimes five, violet or blue sepals that spread widely as the flower ages. The outer stamens are broad and look like small petals. After blooming, the flowers produce large, silky, feathery heads. This lovely vine can be found in the Grand Canyon, just below the Rim, and in various mountainous areas. The foliage can vary a bit in different climates.

There are many types of Thalictrum that are hard to tell apart, found in various locations including some in the Andes, India, and Africa. They are perennials with tall stems that grow from a short rootstock, and they have attractive, compound leaves. The flowers can be perfect or imperfect, numerous, small, and clustered together, featuring four to seven sepals and no petals. The achenes have long styles and form a head. Some of these plants have an unpleasant smell. They thrive in wet areas, both in the East and West.

Though its flowers are small and colorless, this plant stands out for its delicacy and grace. The tender green leaves resemble the fronds of Maidenhair Fern and are almost as beautiful, while the flowers are unusual and attractive. A shower of numerous, pale-yellow stamens with purplish, threadlike filaments falls from the center of four greenish-white sepals, forming a lovely little tassel. These tassels hang from the ends of very slender pedicels in loose clusters. The smooth stems range from one to three feet tall, and the smooth leaves are thin in texture, triple-compound, with many rounded leaflets; the lower leaves have long leaf stalks. This Meadow Rue has its pistils and stamens on different plants, with the flowers bearing tassels of stamens being prettier and more conspicuous than the small green pistillate ones. The variety Wrìghtii is common in Arizona. 151

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Not a big family, widely spread; shrubs or herbs; leaves are alternate or come from the root; flowers are perfect; sepals and petals are few, many, or absent, usually arranged in several overlapping rows; stamens on the receptacle, typically as many as the petals and opposite them; there’s one pistil, with a short style, or none; fruit is either a berry or a capsule.

There are several types of Vancouveria, perennial herbs with thin, creeping root systems; named after the explorer Vancouver.

A charming woodland plant, its airy flower cluster resembles an Alum-root, beautifully contrasting with the crisp, evergreen foliage. The large leaves come entirely from the root, with slender, purplish leaf-stalks and elegantly shaped leaflets, each an inch or more wide, pale underneath. The older leaves are dark, rich green, leathery, and very glossy, while the younger ones are bright apple-green and thinner. They form a lovely cluster, varying quite a bit in size, and the overall effect suggests a sturdy type of Maidenhair Fern. The stem ranges from one to two feet tall, slender, purplish, and hairy, bearing a loose cluster of tiny, drooping, white or lilac-tinged flowers. The six white sepals look like petals; the six smaller white petals are lined with yellow, accompanied by six to nine bracts that resemble sepals, and six stamens. The tiny buds are purplish, and upon close inspection, the little flowers seem very pretty and unique, as the sepals turn back so abruptly from the tiny petals and the cluster of protruding stamens that the name Inside-out Flower fits perfectly. The fruit is a type of capsule containing many seeds. This plant grows in shady woods, particularly among redwoods, up to seven thousand feet. V. hexándra has thinner leaflets that aren’t evergreen, and the leaflets of V. chrysántha feature white margins. 153

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There are many types of Barberry, found in various areas; they are shrubs with yellow wood; the leaves are often spiny and the flowers are yellow; there are six to nine sepals, with bracts that look like petals; there are six petals arranged in two overlapping rows, each with two glands at the base; there are six stamens, with anthers that open with small valves like trap doors, hinged at the top, sensitive to touch and closing around the shield-shaped stigma when they are touched; the fruit is a berry, containing one or a few seeds.

This doesn't resemble the typical cultivated varieties of Barberry, as it grows close to the ground in a sprawling cluster. In ideal conditions, it’s a beautiful and noticeable plant. The leaves, which have three to seven leaflets, are stiff, prickly, and evergreen like Holly, and the yellow flowers appear in clusters at the ends of the stems, accompanied by opposite bracts. The six sepals, petals, and stamens are all arranged oppositely, meaning there’s a petal in front of each sepal and a stamen in front of each petal. In Arizona, the flowers are relatively small and the clusters are short, but in Utah, they are much more attractive, a rich golden-yellow and sweet-scented, forming clusters that are two inches long. The fruit is a striking blue berry with a "bloom," resembling the color of wild grapes, which contrasts beautifully with the foliage when it turns red in the fall, and delicious jelly can be made from them. B. aquifòlium, found in Oregon and Washington, is similar, but has much more beautiful, shiny leaves. B. Féndleri, from the Southwest, grows three to six feet tall, with branches that are smooth and shiny as if varnished, leaves with smooth edges or spiny teeth, and flowers in numerous drooping clusters. The calyx features noticeable red bracts and the berry is red.

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The only type is a beautiful perennial, popular for its sweet-smelling leaves, which only release their fragrance when dried. It has a very slender rootstock and just one large leaf with a long, thin stem and three uniquely shaped leaflets, measuring two to six inches across, bright green, smooth, and thin in texture, but not shiny. The single, very thin flower stem, one to two feet tall, has a dense spike of many tiny, scentless white flowers, lacking both calyx and corolla, made up of a cluster of stamens with long, threadlike filaments, the outer ones wider, and a pistil with a broad stigma and no style. The overall look of the cluster is feathery and pretty, and the broad leaf stands out because of its size and shape. The crescent-shaped fruit holds one seed, is initially fleshy, but turns dry and leathery. This plant grows in the woods of the Coast Ranges, from near sea level up to seven thousand feet. It's also known as Vanilla Leaf and Deer-foot.

A small family found in freshwater lakes and streams; aquatic, perennial plants with thick, horizontal root systems or tubers, large floating or upright leaves, and big, solitary flowers on long flower stalks. There are three to twelve sepals; petals can range from three to many; stamens can be six to numerous; the ovary is above, and the stigmas can be separate or joined into a disk. We don’t have any white water lilies in the West.

Like the eastern Spatter-dock, this is a rough but quite attractive and decorative plant. The thick leaves are shaped like rounded hearts and can be up to a foot long. The cup-shaped calyx, two to four inches wide, is the most noticeable part of the flower, made up of seven to twelve thick, petal-like sepals that are yellow with greenish outer edges. There are twelve to eighteen petals, each about half an inch long, that look like stamens. The actual stamens have dark-red anthers but yellow pollen, and both the petals and stamens are closely packed around the ovary. The round fruit has a narrow neck, a concave top, and contains many seeds. In calm mountain ponds, we see these yellow flowers on sturdy stems rising above the water, with lily pads floating lazily on the surface. Native Americans grind the seeds into meal for porridge, or roast them and eat them like popcorn.

A very small family, consisting of just two genera, one from North America and one from Japan; they are aromatic shrubs with opposite, smooth leaves, short leaf stalks, and no stipules; the flowers are large and solitary, located at the ends of leafy branches; sepals, petals, and stamens are indefinite in number, often overlapping in many series, making it hard to distinguish one from another, all attached to a hollow receptacle that looks like a rose hip, almost encasing the many pistils; the stamens are short, with the inner ones lacking anthers; the receptacle transforms into a large, leathery, oblong, or pear-shaped fruit that contains a few or many smooth, shiny akenes.

There are three types of Calycanthus in this country, two of which are from the east; they have purple or red flowers with stamens arranged in several rows.

This resembles the familiar shrub found in traditional gardens, and its flowers have the same pleasant and elusive scent, similar to strawberries but spicier when crushed. The shrub grows between four to ten feet tall, with somewhat coarse, rough leaves and large, attractive flowers that are two to three inches wide, in a warm maroon color that fades to brown and purple, with yellow stamens. This shrub is striking and noticeable due to its unique and rich flower colors, and it thrives along waterways in the canyon foothills, being most common in northern California. It has several other names, including Sweet Shrub, Carolina Allspice, and Wineflowers. 159

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A fairly large family, widely spread out, most common in the northern temperate zone; mostly herbs, rarely shrubs, with milky, mostly yellow sap and either narcotic or bitter properties; the leaves are mostly arranged alternately, without stipules; the parts of the flower are usually all separate and distinct, sitting on a cup-shaped receptacle. There are usually two sepals, which drop off when the flower opens, and usually four petals that overlap and are crumpled in the bud; the stamens are typically numerous and noticeable, with thread-like filaments; the superior ovary develops into a many-seeded capsule.

There are only two types of Romneya, quite similar, smooth, sturdy, perennial herbs that grow several feet high with clear sap. The leaves are alternate and more or less divided; there are three sepals, each with a broad wing on the back; six large white petals; many stamens; and the ovary is covered with bristles. These plants aren't very common, but you can find them from Santa Barbara south, and in lower California, they sometimes grow in abundance. They are widely cultivated and highly admired internationally.

This flower is often seen as the most attractive in the West, and it's hard to find anything more beautiful and eye-catching than its stunning blossoms. The plant can resemble a Peony bush, sometimes reaching up to five feet tall, with many smooth stems and elegant, smooth, light-green leaves that are cut and lobed, with a few prickles near the top. The impressive flowers are huge, measuring five to nine inches across, with translucent white petals crinkled like crepe paper, and bright golden centers made up of hundreds of yellow stamens surrounding a greenish-white pistil. The blossoms stay open for several days. The hard, round buds are covered in short, brown hairs. This is the true Matilija Poppy (pronounced Matíliha), the variety that grows in the canyon of the same name, although most of these beautiful plants in that area were flooded out during the massive floods of 1914. R. Còulteri is similar, but its buds are smooth, and its stems are sturdier. 161

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There are several types of Argemone that come from the warmer regions of America. They have a bitter yellow sap, spiky leaves, and large, noticeable flowers. The buds stand upright, there are two or three sepals with small horns, and the petals are twice as many as the sepals. The stamens are numerous, the style is very short with a radiating stigma, and the capsule is prickly, elongated, and opens at the top to reveal many seeds.

The spiky, bluish-green leaves of this attractive plant resemble thistles both in shape and color. The leafy, branching stems, which are two to three feet tall, are covered with dense, white or yellowish spines and produce several beautiful flowers that are over three inches wide, featuring delicately crumpled white petals and stunning golden centers made up of many yellow stamens. Both the stems and leaves have a bluish "bloom." The three spiky green sepals each have a spine-like point and create a strange-looking, three-horned bud; the pistil has a purplish, cap-shaped stigma with six lobes, and the prickly ovary develops into a very spiky capsule. This plant thrives in dry areas and looks gorgeous and eye-catching when its delicate flowers sway in the wind against a backdrop of hot desert sand. It varies quite a bit in terms of prickliness and the shape of both the plant and flowers. When there's just one large flower in bloom, surrounded by a circle of prickly buds, it resembles a fairy princess protected by a group of fierce warriors. The flowers can often be quite broad and flat, and sometimes they are humorously called Fried-egg flowers.

There are many types of poppies; they have milky sap, leaves that are lobed or cut, drooping flower buds, and striking flowers with two or three sepals and four to six petals. The stigmas merge to create a disk with rays, and the fruit is a round or elongated capsule that opens near the top. Both the Latin and common name, Poppy, have ancient origins. Opium is produced from P. somníferum found in the Mediterranean. 163

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A slender, graceful plant, one to two feet tall, with smooth, branching, purplish stems, smooth leaves that are variously cut and lobed, and lovely flowers that are both vibrant and delicate. The flowers are about an inch and a half across, typically with four scarlet petals, each featuring a maroon spot at the base, along with a bright-green pistil and maroon filaments topped with pale-yellow anthers. The buds and seed pods are smooth. This plant varies quite a bit, has a strong smell of opium when picked, and its flowers shine like jewels among the underbrush on open hillsides, but fall apart when picked.

There are many types of Eschscholtzia, featuring a bitter, watery juice; leaves that alternate and are finely divided; upright buds; yellow flowers; a cup-shaped receptacle, often with a rim; two sepals that join to create a pointed cap, which is pushed off by the four expanding petals; numerous stamens with short filaments and long anthers; a very short style typically with four stigmas; and a long, narrow, ribbed pod that contains many seeds. These plants were collected in San Francisco in 1816 by von Chamisso, a German poet and naturalist, and named after his friend Eschscholtz, a botanist.

Probably the most celebrated western flower and certainly deserving of its popularity. It varies greatly in shape and color, but is usually a lovely plant, over a foot tall, with stems and leaves a beautiful light bluish-green. The flowers are two or three inches across, usually bright yellow, fading to orange at the base, but sometimes nearly cream-colored. They open in sunlight, and when they're blooming in large numbers, they create a stunning sight, blanketing the hillsides with a golden hue. In southern Arizona, a similar type often lines the dry riverbeds with vibrant color, holding much the same visual appeal as Marsh Marigolds do along streams in New England. It is the state flower of California and has many poetic Spanish names, like Torosa, Amapola, and Dormidera, as well as Copa de Oro, meaning "Cup of Gold." 165

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There are several types of Dendromecon, smooth shrubs with alternate, smooth, leathery leaves and yellow flowers that have two sepals and four petals; they have numerous stamens with short filaments; the ovary has a short style and two oblong stigmas. The name comes from the Greek words for "tree" and "poppy."

This isn’t a true Poppy, but the flowers look enough like them to be quite surprising when we spot them growing on what seems to be a small willow tree! It’s a striking and ornamental shrub, ranging from two to eight feet high, with pale woody stems, the main stem featuring shreddy bark, and light bluish-green leaves that resemble those of willow but are quite stiff and leathery, with a little pointed tip. The short leaf stalks are twisted to position the leaves vertically. All over the bush are numerous beautiful, clear golden-yellow flowers, one to three inches wide, with orange anthers and a pale-yellow pistil. This plant thrives on dry, sunny hillsides at mid-altitudes and is common in southern California, particularly near Santa Barbara. The flowers have a slight cucumber-like fragrance and can bloom all year round. The ribbed seed pod is long and narrow.

There is only one type of Platystemon, with leaves on the stem arranged opposite each other or in whorls; three sepals that fall off quickly; six petals; and many stamens with wide, flat filaments. The numerous pistils are initially partially fused, creating a compound ovary; when mature, they separate into knotted pods that split apart between the seeds. The name means "broad stamens."

Beautiful, elegant plants, with their creamy flowers often brightening the spring meadows. The slender, hairy stems are around a foot tall, and the light green, hairy leaves and drooping buds add to their charm. The lovely flowers, about an inch wide, have a delicate cream color, with petals often marked by vibrant yellow at the tips, the base, or both, and charming creamy centers. This is typical in the foothills, plains, and valleys. 167

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A small family, widely spread; very smooth, tender, perennial herbs with watery juice; alternate, compound leaves that are finely cut, lobed, and fringed into many divisions, along with irregular, perfect flowers of a unique shape, featuring two scale-like sepals and four petals. The inner pair is narrower than the outer and connects at their tips over the stamens and style. There are six stamens arranged in two equal groups, with the filaments of each group somewhat joined. The middle anther of each group has two cells, while the others have only one. The superior ovary develops into a long, dry, one-celled capsule that holds shiny, black seeds. This family has been combined with the Poppies by Bentham and Hooker because the flower structure is similar, even though their appearance differs.

There are several types of Bicuculla, found in North America and Asia. They are perennials that have beautiful leaves and decorative flowers with a curious, intricate shape that we recognize from traditional gardens. The flower stalks have two bracts; the corolla is heart-shaped at the base. The outer pair of petals are oblong and concave, with spreading tips and either spurred or pouched bases, while the inner pair are narrow and clawed, featuring crests or wings on the back. The style is slender, with a two-lobed stigma, each lobe having two crests. The creeping root system is surrounded by a bulb-like cluster of fleshy grains. These plants are often called Dutchman's Breeches because of the shape of the flower, which also gives rise to the charming name Bleeding Heart. Bicuculla comes from the Latin term meaning "double-hooded."

This is a really beautiful and interesting plant, about two feet tall, with delicate pale-green leaves that are finely cut and lobed, all coming from the root, with very long leaf stems and a few graceful clusters of purplish-pink flowers, each about three-quarters of an inch long. It has a fleshy, spreading root and thrives in shady areas of rich, moist woods at moderate altitudes, but it’s not very common. You can find it in Yosemite Valley. B. uniflòra is a small alpine plant, standing one to three inches tall, usually bearing only one white or flesh-colored flower, about half an inch long, which is often hidden among dead leaves. This plant grows in rich soil on mountain slopes in the Wasatch and Teton Mountains and in the Sierra Nevada, and it can be found in Yosemite Valley and on Mt. Lyall, at an elevation of ten thousand five hundred feet. It’s called Squirrel Corn and Steer’s Head.

The overall look of this attractive plant is impressive and has a distinctly Japanese vibe. The colors of its feathery, light green leaves and vibrant yellow flowers are uniquely beautiful. The large, finely shaped leaves can reach up to a foot long and resemble delicate ferns. The smooth, sturdy, somewhat rough flower stems hold a few charming flowers that are a soft shade of yellow and about three-quarters of an inch long. They have the typical Bleeding Heart shape but don’t droop, and they emit a strong narcotic scent similar to poppies. This plant can grow up to four feet tall and thrives in sunny spots on dry ridges in the Coast Ranges, but it’s not commonly found.

There are many types of Capnoides, which are native to the northern temperate zone and Africa. They have uniquely shaped flowers, similar to Bleeding Heart, but with only one spur at the back on the upper side instead of two. The name comes from Greek, meaning "smokelike," referring to the smell of some varieties.

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This plant has hollow, branching stems that spread out and grow between six to fourteen inches tall. It features delicate, pale-green leaves and bright yellow flowers, each about half an inch long, on slender stems, forming a loose cluster. The spurs give them a charming and lively appearance. The style remains at the tip of a long, curved capsule that resembles a bean pod, drooping or jutting out at an awkward angle from the stem. It's particularly striking in some mountain valleys in Utah, creating beautiful clumps of foliage. This plant is found widely, including in the East. In the West, it's sometimes called Dutchman's Breeches, which is a bit confusing since the term implies the Dutchman would have only one leg!

A really beautiful and decorative plant, two or three feet tall, with large, incredibly graceful leaves that are vivid yet delicate in color and thin in texture, beautifully cut and lobed. The flowers are about an inch long, pale pink with deeper shading, each having a long, cylindrical spur, and they form attractive clusters that stand out beautifully against the soft green of the large bunches of delicate foliage, which are strikingly gorgeous. This plant thrives in rich soil in mountain woods and is lovely in the forests of Mt. Rainier National Park.

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A large family, widely spread out. Both the English and Latin names fit well, as the watery juice of these plants is sharp, like mustard, and the flowers have four petals that form a cross. They are herbs, with leaves that either alternate or grow from the root, usually without leaf stalks. The flowers have four petals with claws; four sepals, the two outer ones narrow and likely to drop off; and six stamens, two of which are short. The ovary is above, usually with a single style and stigma, and typically develops into a pod that is divided by a clear partition, which remains after the pod opens from the bottom; in some types, the pod stays closed. The flowers usually grow in clusters and, although they are often small, they produce nectar, attracting bees and flies. This family is easily identified by the four petals and, in most species, by having two stamens that are shorter than the others, but the flowers are so similar that you have to examine the fruit to differentiate the various kinds. Radish, Horse-radish, Mustard, and Water-cress all belong to this family, along with many well-known garden flowers like Sweet Alyssum, Candytuft, Rockets, and Stocks, and many common weeds, such as Peppergrass and Shepherd's Purse.

There are several types of Dentaria, smooth perennials, with fairly large white or pink flowers and tuberous roots.

A lovely plant with a purplish stem, ranging from six inches to two feet tall, features attractive leaves that come in different shapes. The leaves at the base are somewhat round or have three leaflets, while the ones on the stem have three or five leaflets. The flowers are about three-quarters of an inch wide, with crisp white or light pink petals. This is one of the most beautiful early spring flowers in the Coast Ranges, commonly found in wet areas, both in forests and open spaces, often covering the meadows with its blooms. 175

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There are many types of Thelypodium that are native to North America, all found in the western or southwestern regions. They are mostly smooth plants, with leaves that typically have stalks and flowers that grow in clusters. The stamens are long and noticeable, with very narrow, arrow-shaped anthers. The pods are long, either cylindrical or four-sided, often twisted, and sometimes rise on a slender stalk. The seeds are oblong, flat, and arranged in a single row within each cell.

This plant has small flowers, but often grows in such large numbers in the flat areas near Salt Lake that it turns the fields purple. The purplish stem is about twelve to fifteen inches tall, and the leaves are a light bluish-green and very smooth. The root leaves have long stalks, while the stem leaves are arrow-shaped and clasp at the base. The flowers are around half an inch across, featuring a purplish-tinged calyx and pale pinkish-lilac petals, and they grow in flat-topped clusters. The pods spread out and are somewhat knobby. This plant typically grows on dry hills, reaching heights of over nine thousand feet, as far east as Wyoming.

There are many types of Arabis, found in various locations, with small, white or purplish flowers.

This is a quite attractive plant, standing over a foot tall, with somewhat hairy stems and leaves and beautiful clusters of magenta flowers, each about a quarter of an inch wide. It grows on the edge of the Grand Canyon.

There are many types of Erysimum, mostly found in Europe and Asia. They are typically biennial or perennial, often somewhat hairy; mostly featuring yellow flowers; the pods are long, narrow, and square or somewhat flat, rarely round, with many seeds arranged in a single row. In Europe, these plants commonly grow in the cracks of old walls, which is where the common name comes from.

The bright glowing orange of these beautiful flowers stands out brilliantly against the dark tree trunks of the mountain forests where they often grow. They can be found all the way east to Ohio. The thick, purplish stems reach one to two feet tall, and the long, narrow leaves, which are often jagged, are usually purplish on the underside. Both the stem and leaves feel rather rough. 177 178 The fragrant flowers, each about three-quarters of an inch wide, form a lovely cluster that spans about three inches across. The calyx is yellow, the pistil is green, and the anthers are brown. The striking, four-sided pods can either spread out or stand upright, measuring one to five inches long with a sturdy beak. In the high mountains, the orange variety changes to perénne, which has lemon-colored flowers, possibly more common than the orange ones, shorter in height, and incredibly beautiful in the Wasatch Mountains, around Mt. Rainier and similar locations, and they are widely distributed. The Cream-colored Wallflower, E. capitàtum, blooms early and is found near the coast; its flowers are large and lovely but not fragrant.

There are many types of Thlaspi found in temperate and arctic regions: smooth, low-growing plants, mostly from mountainous areas; leaves at the base forming a rosette; stem leaves that are somewhat arrow-shaped and clasping; flowers that are relatively small, white or purplish; blunt sepals; a slender style, sometimes absent, with a small stigma; and pods that are flat, roundish, wedge-shaped, or heart-shaped, often with crests or wings.

A pretty little plant with several flower stalks growing from a rosette of leaves that are dull green, slightly purplish, thick, smooth, and not very sharply toothed, all mostly covered with a powdery coating; the flowers are small, slightly fragrant, and form clusters less than an inch wide, with white petals that are longer than the thin, greenish sepals. This plant grows on moist mountain slopes. T. alpéstre from the Northwest is similar, but it doesn’t have the powdery coating.

There are only a few types of Dithyrea, grayish, hairy plants that look like Biscutella from the Mediterranean, with yellowish or whitish flowers.

A small desert plant, six to twelve inches tall, with branching stems; pale, yellowish-green, fuzzy leaves that are about an inch long, featuring wavy or jagged edges; small white flowers and quirky little seed pods that stick out at right angles from the stem. This plant grows at an altitude of three to four thousand feet and can be found in the Petrified Forest.

There are many types of Streptanthus, which can be hard to tell apart, 179 180 smooth plants, often with a "bloom"; stems that branch; leaves that often clasp at the base, with the lower ones generally more toothed or lobed than the upper. The flowers have a very unique shape, unlike most Mustards, but reminiscent of a Bleeding Heart flower; the sepals are usually the same color as the petals, where two or all of them bulge at the base, making the calyx wide at the bottom and narrow at the top; the corolla can be regular or irregular, with petals that are purple or white, featuring claws and narrow, wavy or crisp edges; there are four long stamens and two short ones, or in three unequal pairs, with the longest pair often joined at the bottom; the pods are long, narrow, slightly flat or cylindrical, sitting on a broad receptacle; the seeds are flat and somewhat winged. These plants are called Jewel-flower, but the name doesn’t seem very fitting.

Nothing about this strange-looking plant is pretty, and it almost seems like it's trying to compensate for its lack of beauty with its eccentricity. It’s common in dry, sandy areas in the mountains, and we first notice the tall, branching stalks because they have such bizarre-looking leaves. In summer, the upper leaves are bright yellow or dull purple; they clasp the stem and curve over, resembling small brass shields pierced by the stem. There are three or four of these curving leaves, very smooth and shiny, along with several more below that are flatter and dark green. The stem, which ranges from six inches to three feet high, is oddly twisted and leans to one side. The small flowers are yellowish or mauve, veined with purple, measuring less than half an inch long and having a peculiar shape. The contrast in color between the flowers and leaves is very strange and quite unattractive, but as if that weren't enough, later in the season, the odd plant hangs down with ridiculously long, slender pods, like big hooks, and looks weirder and more disheveled than ever.

Prettier and less oddly-shaped than the last one. The leaves are arrow-shaped, clasping at the base, somewhat leathery, bluish-green, with a "bloom" and tinged with purple on the backs. The lower leaves have a toothed edge, and the pods are about two inches long, flat, and also tinged with purple. The flowers are half an inch long, pearly-white, with yellowish petals veined in purple, making them quite attractive. This plant grows in dry places. 181 182

There are only a few types of Stanleya, all from the west; tall, sturdy, smooth perennials or biennials, featuring a "bloom"; flowers large, mostly yellow, without bracts, arranged in long, terminal clusters; sepals long and narrow; petals long and narrow, with long claws; six stamens that are almost equal; the ovary sits on a short stalk, with either a short style or none; pods are long, narrow, and flat, with long stalks; seeds are numerous. Named after Lord Edward Stanley, President of the Linnaean Society.

The common name for this tall, attractive plant was given by Helen Hunt Jackson, and its long, feathery spike packed with numerous blossoms is stunning and looks like a plume. However, the irregular flowers have long, narrow, curling petals, and their threadlike filaments resemble curling antennae. The long, thin pods awkwardly stick out like insect legs from the lower part of the stalk among the flowers, giving it a somewhat strange and spidery appearance. In fact, the plant I illustrated had a large yellow spider, matching the color of the flowers, partly hidden among them. The stem ranges from two to five feet high; the leaves are smooth and pale bluish-green, with the lower ones featuring leaflets and a leaf-stalk, while the flowers are bright yellow or cream-colored, about an inch wide. This plant usually grows in damp spots in dry regions. The picture is of one I found in Indian Garden Canyon, a branch of the Grand Canyon.

The only type of this plant is a great addition to any garden; it's smooth and branching, about two feet tall, with attractive bluish-green leaves that have a slight shine. The leaves from the root have long, purplish stems and can sometimes reach nine inches in length. The flowers are half an inch wide, featuring a lilac-tinted calyx and white petals with pretty serrated edges, forming a lovely, somewhat flat-topped cluster. The pods are very thin, nearly straight, and one to two inches long. This plant grows among rocks in sheltered areas and isn’t common. Only a few individual flowers are shown in the picture, as the plant I found near the Desert Laboratory in Tucson was almost finished blooming. 183

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There are many types of Lesquerella, all from America; low-growing plants, somewhat hairy or scaly; flowers mostly yellow, in clusters; petals without claws; pods that are roundish, somewhat inflated, which is why they have the common name, Bladder-pod, also used for Isomeris arborea.

Pretty little plants, often growing in groups among the rocks in mountain canyons. The slender stems range from a few inches to over a foot tall, sprouting from a cluster of root leaves that vary quite a bit in shape, dull green, and rough to the touch. The flowers are half an inch or more wide, with white petals often touched with pink and a bit of yellow in the center, forming a nice, somewhat flat-topped cluster.

In desert areas, like the harsh sandy expanses of the Petrified Forest, where it seems almost impossible for anything to grow, we find the tight, pale, gray-green clumps of this small plant, topped with clusters of tiny bright-yellow flowers. The small, somewhat thick leaves are long, narrow, and covered in fine hairs, while the stems are about three inches tall and branch out at the base. The tiny pods are tipped with a style that’s roughly the same length as the pods themselves. L. Gordóni, found in Arizona, also has clusters of small yellow flowers that often blanket sandy hillsides with vibrant color; its leaves are somewhat stiff and rough, and the pods are significantly inflated. It resembles L. purpurea in overall shape and size.

There are many types of Brassica, coarse "weeds" in this country. This is the ancient Latin name for cabbage, which is part of this genus, along with cauliflower, turnip, and Brussels sprouts.

A European "weed" that's common everywhere. In California, it can grow to a huge height, sometimes reaching twelve feet, and when it blooms, it adds a stunning element to the landscape, blanketing the fields with a shimmering sheet of pale gold. The leaves are dark green, smooth or slightly hairy, all with leaf stalks. The lower leaves are large and jagged, divided into leaflets, while the upper leaves are mostly smooth. The fragrant flowers grow in long clusters, with each flower about three-quarters of an inch across; the small, cylindrical pods stand upright, close to the branching stem. A valuable antiseptic oil is extracted from the black, pungent seeds, which are exported from California by the ton.

The flowers in this family are similar to Mustards, but all the stamens are the same length and often more than six; the leaves grow alternately and have three or more leaflets with stalks, and the plant usually tastes bitter and unpleasant instead of spicy. The pods have no partitions and are on long, thin stalks; the ovary is above and the seeds are shaped like kidneys. Many flowers have only a basic pistil and never produce fruit. The Caper, whose pickled flower buds we eat as a condiment, is a shrub that grows in the Levant. This family is quite large and thrives in warm regions.

There are several types of Cleomella that look like Cleome, but their pods are different.

This is a striking, somewhat unusual plant, with a thick, smooth, yellowish or purplish stem, sometimes branching and over a foot tall. The leaves are bright light green, smooth, without teeth, and a bit thick, with three leaflets that sometimes each have a small hair at the tip and a cluster of tiny hairs at the base of the leaf stalk instead of a stipule. The flowers are about half an inch wide and feature a lovely warm shade of golden yellow, with long stamens of the same color that give a nice feathery look to the large cluster. The pods are quirky little things that stick straight out from the stem. It has a slightly unpleasant smell, but looks very cheerful and pretty in the fields and along the edges of the mesas around Reno.

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There are many types of Cleome; ours are bushy herbs with leaves that split into sections that look like fingers. The flowers have four sepals, four petals, and six stamens. The ovary has a stalk with a gland at the bottom and turns into a long pod with a long stem and lots of seeds.

In Arizona, this incredibly attractive plant often blankets the dry riverbeds with vast areas of vivid color. The smooth, branching stem can reach up to eight feet tall. The upper leaves are long and narrow, while the lower leaves are larger and usually have three leaflets, but all of them are bluish-green and uniquely soft and smooth to the touch. The buds are purple, and the delicate flowers, with thin flower stalks, grow in a beautiful, feathery cluster that can be up to a foot long, complete with numerous bracts. They have four petals that are either pinkish-lilac or white and six very long, threadlike stamens with tiny, curling, green anthers. The lilac pistil is also quite long, and before the flower falls off, it starts to develop into a small, flat green pod. These gradually stretch out, making the stem adorned with many hooklike pods that hang from slender stalks along its length. Many of the flowers don’t produce fruit. When the foliage is crushed, it releases a strong, unpleasant smell, which is why it's commonly called Skunk-weed. This plant is widespread and can be found in the central and northern parts of the United States, as well as in the Southwest.

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An unusual-looking plant with beautiful, feathery clusters of flowers. The hairy stem stands over a foot tall, and the leaves are a bright yellowish-green, mostly smooth on the upper side, with hairy edges and hairy underneath. The flowers are a warm, bright golden-yellow and create a nice, somewhat flat-topped cluster with long stamens. The oblong pods are about an inch long or less, flat and much wider than those of the previous type. The flowers have a slightly sweet scent, but the whole plant gives off a faint unpleasant odor. This is noticeable on the gloomy mesas around Reno, often growing alongside Cleomella longipes, which it closely resembles in overall appearance, except for the pods, which are quite different.

There’s only one type of Isomeris.

This is a shrub about three feet tall, which is attractive except for its unpleasant smell. The leaves are smooth, without teeth, somewhat stiff and thick, and bluish-green, with a small bristle at the tip, and usually have three leaflets. The pretty flowers are nearly an inch wide and warm yellow in color, not very bright but nice in tone, with six very long yellow stamens, and form a short, oblong cluster. The ovary has such a long stalk, even in the flower, that it looks odd and develops into a very unusual and conspicuous drooping pod, an inch and a half long, quite inflated and resembling an overly plump pea pod, on a long stalk, with two rows of seeds like little peas inside it, which taste very bitter. This is quite common on southern mesas. The name Bladderpod is also used for Lesquerella, which is part of the Mustard Family.

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A pretty big family, found all over the place; unusual-looking, mostly very juicy herbs with smooth, fleshy leaves and stems, without stipules; flowers in clusters; sepals, petals, pistils, and stamens all typically numbering four or five, sometimes with twice as many stamens; superior ovary; receptacle has honey-bearing scales, one behind each pistil; separate pistils that turn into small dry pods containing a few or many tiny seeds. Some of these plants resemble tiny cabbages, and we all recognize their tight little rosettes in the formal gardens of hotels and train stations, where they look so stiff and unappealing that we hardly acknowledge them when we see them looking really lovely in their natural habitats. The Latin name means "thick."

There are many types of Sedum, but no single type is very widely spread; they are fleshy herbs with typically alternate leaves. The flowers are star-shaped and often grow in one-sided clusters. Stamens and pistils can sometimes be found in different flowers on different plants. They usually have four or five sepals and petals, and eight or ten stamens connected to the calyx, with the alternate ones often attached to the petals. The styles are usually short. The Latin name means "to sit" because these plants grow low to the ground, and the name Stonecrop comes from their preference for rocky areas.

This creates beautiful golden patches on dry slopes or more or less open hilltops, usually among limestone rocks. The reddish stems range from six to ten inches tall, the leaves are long and narrow, thick but flat, forming lovely pale-green rosettes, tinged with pink and yellow. The pretty star-shaped flowers are three-quarters of an inch across, bright yellow with greenish centers, and the stamens give a feathery look.

On mossy rocks, dampened by the sparkling spray from the Yosemite waterfalls, we find these beautiful plants, creating a stunning, multicolored carpet on the stones. The flowers are bright golden stars, about half an inch wide and lightly scented, forming flat-topped clusters that span three or four inches. 193 194 The upper part of the stem, which is around six inches tall, along with the upper leaves, is a delicate bluish-green, but both the stem and leaves turn a vivid scarlet at the base. Scattered across the ground from the base of the stem in all directions are many little runners, each ending in a small rosette of thick, blue-green leaves, providing a beautiful contrast to the bright colors of the flowers and stems. The leaves and runners are very fragile and snap off at a slight touch.

There are several types of Dudleya; they're perennials and have very thick, fleshy leaves. The root leaves are arranged in a noticeable rosette, while the stem leaves mostly look like bracts and usually have a broad, clasping base. The flowers are mostly yellow or reddish, and the calyx is noticeable, with five lobes. The petals are joined at the base, and there are ten stamens. Most of these plants grow in the South, often on rocks, in such shallow soil that they would perish in dry weather, except that their juicy leaves hold moisture for a long time and keep the plant alive. They look similar to Sedum, but since the petals are somewhat united, the flowers don’t appear starlike. The Indigenous people make poultices from the leaves.

The plump, reddish flower stalks of this attractive plant feature large, loose, somewhat flat-topped clusters of orange-red flowers on curling branches, and they stand about a foot tall, with scaly bracts sprouting from a big, beautiful rosette of thick, pale green leaves, often tinged with pink. Other smaller rosettes create a circle around it, which is why it has its cute common name. D. pulverulénta (Echeveria) is stunning but has an unusual look. It has red flowers, and the rosette, resembling a small Century plant, is completely covered in a white powder that creates a very striking and ghostly effect among regular greenery. This plant can sometimes be a foot and a half wide, with as many as eight tall stalks, and it’s found from San Diego to Santa Barbara. 195

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A large family, mostly made up of herbs, usually found in temperate regions. They don’t have any very unique features and look similar to the Rose Family, but sometimes their leaves are opposite. Typically, they don’t have stipules and have fewer stamens than roses, not more than twice the number of sepals, and usually, the pistils, which number between two and five with distinct styles, are fused to create a compound ovary, which is either superior or partially inferior. Sepals are usually five; petals can be four, five, or rarely absent, alternating with the sepals; petals and stamens grow on the calyx. The fruit is a dry pod or berry, containing numerous seeds. The Latin name means "rock breaker," since many grow among rocks.

There are several types of Parnassia found in northern temperate and arctic regions; they are smooth perennials with toothless leaves, mostly arising from the root. The flowers are single, with five sepals and five petals, each featuring a cluster of sterile filaments tipped with glands at the base. There are five fertile stamens that alternate with the petals, and the ovary is either superior or partially inferior, typically with a very short style or none at all, usually having four stigmas. The fruit is a capsule containing many winged seeds. These plants were referred to as Grass of Parnassus by Dioscorides, but they are not grass-like at all. They are so different from other members of this family that some botanists have classified them into a separate family.

A charming plant with several slender stems, about a foot tall, emerges from a large cluster of attractive, very smooth, glossy leaves. The flowers are about an inch across and have cream-white petals, delicately veined with green and nicely fringed at the base, and pale yellow anthers. At the base of each petal, there’s a strange little stiff cluster of sterile filaments, resembling a tiny green hand. This plant grows on stream banks and in moist areas, reaching an elevation of eleven thousand feet. P. Californica is similar, but its petals aren’t fringed.

There are several types of Leptasea, which are perennials, featuring alternating, thick or somewhat rigid leaves; flowers that are either white or yellow, appearing singly or in terminal clusters; five sepals; five petals, with claws or claw-like bases; ten stamens; and mostly a superior ovary. 197

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Pretty little plants, about six inches tall, form dense clumps of stiff, dark green leaves, with the twigs packed with leathery, smooth-edged leaves that have prickly edges and a small stiff point at the tip. The lovely flowers are about half an inch wide, featuring white petals that are speckled with dark red or purple toward the tips and sometimes have yellow spots near the center. They have yellow anthers and a pale green ovary that is partially below the petals. These small plants can sometimes blanket rocky slopes for long stretches and are commonly found in the mountains at moderate elevations.

There are several types of Muscaria, which are long-lasting, matted herbs; the leaves are alternate, usually divided into three parts, mostly growing from the root; the flowers are white, either single or in small clusters at the ends of stems; there are five sepals; five petals without claws; ten stamens; and the ovary is roughly half below the other parts.

Pretty little plants, ranging from two to six inches tall, have small leaves with three to five lobes or teeth, creating matted patches of attractive foliage. From these patches, many slender, slightly hairy flower stems emerge, each with a few bracts or leaves, and they bear one or more beautiful flowers that are less than half an inch across, featuring white petals, yellow anthers, and a greenish-yellow ovary. This plant typically grows in rocky crevices in the mountains throughout the continent, as well as in arctic and alpine regions of Europe and Siberia.

There are many types of Lithophragma, which are perennials that produce bulblets on their thin rootstocks and sometimes on the stems as well. Their leaves are somewhat divided, mostly emerging from the root. The stipules are small, and the flowers are few, forming a loose cluster at the top. There are five sepals and five petals, which are white or pink with claws. The stamens are ten and short, and the ovary is superior or partly inferior, with three short styles.

A small woodland plant, delicate and beautiful, with a slender, hairy stem that grows between nine inches and two feet tall, emerging from a lovely cluster of hairy leaves that vary in shape but are usually three or five lobed. The star-shaped flowers are three-quarters of an inch wide, featuring white petals with pretty slashes. This plant is sometimes referred to as the Star of Bethlehem, but that name actually belongs to an Ornithogalum that’s cultivated in gardens.

The only type is a perennial, over a foot tall, with a hairy stem that supports a graceful spike of small flowers, emerging from a cluster of bright green root-leaves that are thin in texture yet a bit rough and sparsely hairy. The flowers are about a third of an inch long, and the noticeable part, the calyx, is dark purple or pinkish-red and slightly irregular, featuring three large and two small sepals. The petals are the same color but so narrow that they resemble long, curling threads. The three stamens are positioned opposite the three upper sepals, the ovary is on top, and the capsule has two long beaks. Young plants often grow from the base of the leaf where it meets the leaf-stalk, which is how it got its common name. This plant thrives in mountain woods and is appealing; even though the flowers are a bit dull in color, they have an unusual shape, and the leaves are attractive.

There are many types of Heuchera, native to North America, that are hard to tell apart; they are perennials with thick root systems; the leaves mostly grow from the base; the flowers are small and grow in clusters; the calyx is bell-shaped with five lobes; the petals are small, sometimes absent at the throat of the calyx, and have claws; there are five stamens that attach to the petals; the ovary is partly below the attachment point, with two slender styles that turn into two beaks on the capsule.

These feathery sprays are so light and delicate that they almost seem to be made of a blend of mist and moonlight, carried by the waterfalls they love. However, they aren’t as fragile as they appear; the clusters of tiny pink and white flowers can last a long time in water. The stem is very slender and somewhat hairy, growing one to three feet tall from a group of roundish leaves that are nicely lobed and scalloped, bright green, with some white hairs on the backs and the long leaf stems, often featuring red veins. The beautiful leaves and lovely feathery spikes are prominent, decorative, and quite common among mossy rocks in the dark, rich mountain woods, reaching up to six thousand feet. 201

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This plant isn't as tall, and its leaves, which have blunt edges and are sometimes a bit lobed, are smaller. In Utah, the leaves are a dark green and shiny on the top, either smooth or slightly fuzzy, with a bristle at the tip of each lobe, often reddish underneath. In Yosemite, they're quite rough, with hairs along the edges and veins. The flowers are about a quarter of an inch wide, with a deep pink calyx that has blunt green teeth, and the petals are long, narrow, and white, giving the flowers a pinkish look overall. The clusters aren't nearly as airy as those of H. micrantha, and in the high Sierras, the stems are shorter and the clusters are even more compact. This plant was first discovered on one of the islands in Great Salt Lake. There are other similar species, some with greenish flowers.

There are several types of Micranthes, which are perennials, sometimes featuring bulblets at the base of the stem; the leaves are somewhat thick and grow from the root; the flowers are white and appear in terminal clusters; there are five petals, mostly without claws; there are ten stamens; and the ovary is slightly inferior.

This is obvious because of its height, with a sturdy, rigid, leafless, hairy flower stalk, three feet or more tall, rising from a loose rosette of smooth, thick, bright green leaves that don’t stand up stiffly but spread out, sometimes nearly a foot long, paler underneath and slightly toothed at the ends, with some tiny hairs along the lower edges. The flowers are small, with cream-white petals, orange-red anthers, and a green ovary, forming a long branching cluster at the top of the stalk. This grows in swamps in the mountains.

A small alpine plant grows in wet soil or on mossy rocks. The sticky, hairy flower stem is between two and twelve inches tall, rising from a group of dull green leaves at the base. These leaves are either smooth or have slight teeth at the ends, are somewhat thick, and are very slightly fuzzy. The flowers are small and form a tight cluster. 203

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The only type is a cute little shrub, with many woody stems spreading and trailing on the ground. Its branches are covered with somewhat hairy leaves that have three veins and produce clusters of tiny flowers that smell pleasantly like honey. They typically have ten stamens, and the ovary is partly below the petals, with three to five styles. The sepals are whitish, and the petals are white, turning greenish. The low patches of green leaves, dotted with white flower clusters, are a lovely sight in the Coast Range forests and thickets, especially among the redwoods.

There are several types of Mitella, which are perennials found in North America and Asia.

An unassuming little plant from the mountain woods, with attractive leaves and small flowers. The slender, hairy, leafless stem is about ten inches tall and springs from a cluster of root leaves, smooth on the upper side except for a few bristly hairs, with bristly hairs on the underside veins and on the long, slender leaf stalks. The flowers grow in a graceful, one-sided cluster and feature a five-lobed green calyx, five tiny petals, five stamens with short filaments, and a rounded ovary that's mostly below the calyx. The petals have delicate feathery fringes between them, giving the flowers a resemblance to tiny snow crystals when we take a closer look.

There are several types of Spatularia, which are perennials, sometimes with small bulbs; the leaves come from the base and are mostly jagged; the flowers are white, arranged in open clusters; there are five sepals; all the petals have claws, with the three upper ones different from the two lower ones; the ovary is mostly above the flower.

A beautiful plant with such slender stems and branches that, from a distance, the little white flowers appear like specks of foam. The hairy, reddish stems, ranging from a few inches to over a foot tall and highly branched, emerge from clusters of thick, stiff, hairy leaves and produce dozens of flowers, about three-eighths of an inch across, with white petals that have yellow or red spots at the base and are slightly irregular, with the three upper petals narrower than the two lower ones. The anthers are orange; the ovary is white or pinkish; the calyxes and buds are purplish-red. This plant grows among rocks in the mountains.

Shrubs or trees, with opposite leaves and no stipules. The flowers are in clusters and usually perfect, but sometimes those at the edges of the clusters lack pistils or stamens and are larger than those in the center; the calyx typically has four to ten sepals, and in sterile flowers, it’s often noticeably enlarged; there are four to ten petals; the stamens range from eight to many; the ovary is completely or partly below the calyx; the styles are either separate or fused, sometimes absent; the fruit is a capsule. Many beautifully ornamental garden shrubs, like Deutzia and Hydrangea, belong to this family.

There are several types of Fendlera, native to North America; shrubs that have white or pink flowers, featuring four sepals and four petals, which have claws. The eight stamens have two-pronged filaments, and the ovary is partially below the attachment, with four styles.

Among the many beautiful plants found in the Grand Canyon, one of the most noticeable is the Fendlera. It's a tall, attractive shrub that grows along the upper part of Bright Angel Trail, and in May, it's covered in lovely white blossoms. These flowers are about an inch across, with cream-white or pale pink petals that narrow to a claw at the base, and purplish sepals. They grow in clusters of three or four, mixed with pink buds, at the ends of short branches. The small oblong leaves have three veins, and the wood is tough and gray with deeply grooved bark. Although their scent is somewhat unpleasant, the flowers are beautiful and resemble some unique type of fruit blossom, but this resemblance is misleading because they only produce dry pods.

There are many types of Philadelphus, native to North America, Asia, and Europe. These shrubs have large, white or cream-colored flowers with a top-shaped calyx that has four or five lobes. They have four or five petals and twenty to forty stamens that are attached to a disk. The ovary is located below with three to five styles, and the capsule is top-shaped, containing numerous oblong seeds. These plants were named after King Ptolemy Philadelphus. They are commonly called Mock-Orange because their flowers often look like orange blossoms. The most common name, Syringa, can be misleading since that is also the generic name for Lilac.

In June and July, in the high Sierras, up to an altitude of four thousand feet, this beautiful shrub creates fragrant thickets of blooms. It closely resembles the common garden Syringa, and the scent is just as delightful. The bush stands between four and twelve feet tall, with smooth, light-colored woody stems, dark green leaves that are sometimes slightly serrated, very smooth and shiny, and lovely flowers clustered at the ends of the branches. Each flower is about an inch across, featuring four or five cream-white petals that are rolled in the bud, and a bright golden center made up of numerous vivid yellow stamens.

A small shrub, not nearly as attractive as the last one, grows between two to three feet tall, with slender, pale-gray, woody stems that branch out sharply. The small leaves are smooth and a bright green on top, while the underside is light-colored and covered in fine white hairs. The flowers are much smaller than those of the garden Syringa, featuring white petals and many yellow stamens. The calyx is reddish on the outside and fuzzy on the inside, giving off a delightful scent reminiscent of lemon blossoms. This pretty little shrub can be found thriving in small shady canyons in northern Arizona and other parts of the Southwest.

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A small family of shrubs with alternating, palmately-lobed leaves that are often sticky or resinous; the flowers are usually in clusters; the pedicels have a bract at the base and typically two bractlets halfway up; there are five petals, or sometimes four, and they are usually smaller than the calyx-lobes; the number of stamens matches the petals and they alternate with them; the ovary is inferior with two styles that are more or less fused; the fruit is a berry topped with the dried remains of the flower.

There are several types of Grossularia, or Gooseberry; shrubs, sometimes with trailing branches, almost always spiny; flowers with bracts; ovary often spiny.

This is a bushy plant, standing one to four feet tall, with thick, short, stiff branches that have knobby joints which are somewhat spiny. The roundish leaves, measuring less than an inch across, are lobed and scalloped, a dull green color, and slightly hairy. The flowers are about half an inch long, with maroon sepals and white petals, and the base of the calyx-tube is fuzzy. The purple berry is half an inch wide and covered in tough prickles. This Gooseberry is commonly found at moderate elevations. The drooping red and white flowers look like tiny Fuchsias, both in color and shape. G. Menzièsii, the Canyon Gooseberry, also has attractive fuchsia-like flowers and grows in the Coast Ranges of California and Oregon, flowering in the winter.

Despite its name, the flowers of this attractive shrub don’t resemble Fuchsias as much as the last two do. The stems have long thorns, and the leaves are thick, dark green, and shiny. The flowers consist of four sepals, four petals, and four stamens, measuring about an inch long and are a beautiful bright red. The berry is dry and very prickly. This plant is commonly found in the southern part of California. 211

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There are many types of Ribes, or Currant, found in temperate regions; they're typically smooth shrubs. The flowers often appear before the leaves and have five petals, which are smaller than the five colored calyx lobes; there are five stamens; the ovary is underneath, and the fruit is a smooth, multi-seeded berry. Generally, the low shrubs, with their attractive leaves, can be identified by their similarity to cultivated varieties. Ribes is the old Arabic name.

Except for its strong, unpleasant smell, this is a pretty shrub, three to six feet tall, with pale gray, woody stems that have no thorns and smooth, bright green leaves that are five-lobed and thin in texture. The underside is lighter, featuring resinous dots and broad, papery stipules in clusters, with reddish bracts at the base. The flowers grow in tight, upright clusters that are less than two inches long and come from the same bud as the leaves; the noticeable part, the calyx, is cream-white with a greenish center, while the petals are very small and white. The berry is either smooth or hairy, round and black, lacking "bloom," and may be edible, but it smells so bad that it should be avoided. This shrub grows next to mountain streams and can be found as far north as British Columbia.

A budget-friendly mountain bush that grows between three to six feet tall, with the upper stems a light gray and the lower ones reddish. The leaves are thin, smooth, and nicely scalloped with lobes, often having a few white hairs at the base of the leaf stems. The flowers are fragrant and pink, over half an inch long, and form a tight cluster of eight or more. The berry is black, with a white "bloom," and has a sweet yet bland taste. It can grow up to an altitude of eight thousand feet. Rìbes glutinòsum is known as Incense-shrub because of its strong scent. It is a large, attractive shrub that can sometimes reach fifteen feet in height, featuring beautiful drooping clusters of vibrant pink flowers. The leaves are sticky when they first emerge, and the berry is blue, with a thick "bloom," bristly, dry, and either bitter or bland. It blooms in winter or early spring and is commonly found in canyons near the coast. 213

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A very attractive bush, standing between five to twelve feet tall, with beautiful foliage and smooth, pinkish-gray stems. The bright green leaves, which have three or five lobes, are thin and slightly hairy on the leaf-stalks, looking fresh and shiny, and they highlight the vibrant clusters of bright yellow flowers, where the noticeable part is the calyx, about half an inch wide, with a long greenish-yellow tube. The small petals can be yellow but are often bright red, and the fruit is smooth, coming in yellow, red, or black, and is edible. This plant is wonderfully fragrant and spicy, very striking and appealing, found near streams and in damp canyons, where in groups it resembles Forsythia from a distance, but with a purer color. It can be found as far east as Missouri and is commonly cultivated.

A quite large family, widely spread out, includes many attractive trees and shrubs, like Mountain Ash and Hawthorn, as well as Pears and Apples, featuring beautiful blossoms and noticeable, often edible fruits; leaves are arranged alternately; stipules are small; flowers are regular, perfect, either single or in clusters; the calyx is usually five-toothed or five-lobed; petals are mostly five, usually with claws; stamens are numerous, or rarely few, separate, with small anthers; the ovary is inferior and compound; styles can range from one to five. The calyx-tube gradually thickens and becomes a "pome," or apple-like fruit, where the core is the ovary.

There are several types of Amelanchier found in the northern temperate zone; they can be shrubs or trees with thornless branches and white flowers, typically in clusters. The calyx tube is bell-shaped, with five narrow sepals; there are five petals; and numerous stamens are located at the throat of the calyx. The styles range from two to five in number, fused and hairy at the base; the ovary is either completely or partially inferior, and the fruit is small and resembles a berry. The name comes from the French term for the Medlar. In the East, these shrubs are referred to as Shadbush because they bloom right when the shad start running in the rivers. 215

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A pretty bush with woody, branching stems, reddish twigs, and smooth, bright green leaves, sometimes fuzzy on the underside, with teeth only at the tips. The flowers, under an inch across, have long, narrow, irregular petals, and are so mixed in with leaves and clustered so oddly on the branches that the overall look is somewhat ragged. The round, soft, black fruit is favored by the Indigenous people, but while it's sweet, it lacks flavor. When patches of this bush bloom on mountain slopes, the sight is quite lovely, especially in Utah, where the bushes are more compact and the flowers are less scattered than in Yosemite, creating a distant resemblance to Hawthorn. It grows as far east as Nebraska and in British Columbia.

A small family that's found in various places, consisting of trees or shrubs, with bark that secretes gum. The leaves, bark, and seeds are bitter and contain prussic acid. The leaves are arranged alternately, have teeth along the edges, and come with leaf-stalks; stipules are small. The flowers are mostly perfect, regular, either single or in clusters; the calyx has five lobes and falls off after blooming. There are five petals attached to the calyx, and numerous stamens are connected with the petals. In our genera, there’s one pistil; the ovary is superior and turns into a stone fruit.

There are many types of Prunus, including Cherry and Plum, with white or pink flowers and typically edible fruits. Prunus is the old Latin name for plum.

Mountain slopes near Santa Barbara are stunning in June, showcasing the creamy flowers of this ornamental evergreen shrub that grows between five and twenty-five feet tall. It features shiny, leathery, dark green leaves with prickly edges, resembling holly. The small flowers cluster closely together, forming feathery arrangements that are one to three inches long and release a pleasant honey scent. The sweetish fruit, which isn't particularly tasty, is a dark red cherry about half an inch in diameter. In dry areas, these shrubs are small, but in more favorable spots, like the old mission gardens where they've thrived for around a hundred years, they can grow into small trees. 217

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A large and important family, widely spread and including some of our most beautiful flowers and tastiest fruits; herbs, shrubs, or trees; typically with stipules and usually with alternate leaves; the flowers abundant in pollen and nectar and typically perfect. The calyx is usually five-lobed, often with bracts, featuring a disk attached to its base; the petals equal in number to the calyx lobes, either separate or absent; the stamens are usually numerous, separate, with small anthers; the ovary is superior or partly inferior; the pistils can be few or many, either separate or attached to the calyx, sometimes, as in the true Rose, enclosed and hidden in a hollow receptacle; the fruit comes in various types and shapes.

There are several types of Opulaster, which are branching shrubs with clusters of white flowers and grayish or reddish, shredded bark.

This is an attractive bush that stands three to six feet tall, featuring pretty, nearly smooth, bright green leaves with large stipules. The flowers are fragrant and about half an inch wide, with cream-white petals, forming beautiful, eye-catching rounded clusters that are about three inches across, with long stamens that create a feathery look. From a distance, this shrub resembles Hawthorn in the landscape. It thrives on mountainsides in rich soil.

There are two types of Fallugia. Usually, it’s a low shrub, but in the Grand Canyon, on the plateau, it grows into a nice bush, about four or five feet tall, with pale, woody, branching stems. The small, somewhat fuzzy, evergreen leaves look like those of the Cliff Rose, but the flowers are larger. They are white, about two inches wide, shaped like a Wild Rose, with beautiful golden centers, and grow on long, slender, fuzzy flower stalks at the ends of the branches. Individually, they are prettier than the flowers of the Cliff Rose, but not nearly as striking, since the blooms are much more scattered. The calyx tube is fuzzy inside, and the five sepals alternate with five small, long, narrow bracts. The hairy pistils sit on a small conical base, surrounded by a triple row of many stamens along the edge of the calyx tube.

Wild roses are commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere and are so well-known that they don’t need much description. There are many types; some are climbing, and all are prickly and thorny, with attractive, often fragrant flowers and compound leaves that have toothed edges. The many yellow stamens sit on the thick edge of a silky disk, which nearly closes the mouth of the calyx. The numerous pistils turn into achenes, which are small, dry, one-seeded fruits. These resemble seeds and can be found inside the calyx tube, which expands and becomes round or urn-shaped as it ripens. These swollen calyx tubes are the "hips," which turn bright red and add to the beauty of the rose bush once the flowers have faded. Rosa is the ancient Latin name.

This is a really attractive, hardy bush, about four feet tall, with smooth or slightly fuzzy, bright green leaves and thorny stems armed with slightly curved thorns. The flowers have a pleasant scent and measure about two inches wide, featuring bright pink petals that gradually lighten as they wilt, along with lovely buds tipped in crimson. This bush has smooth "hips" and stands out beautifully, growing in valleys and along streams, up to an elevation of nine thousand feet. It’s widely found and varies quite a bit, likely encompassing several different forms.

A large bush that stands three to six feet tall, featuring upright, branching stems with a few sturdy thorns that curve backward. The leaves have a somewhat fuzzy texture, especially on the underside, with three to seven leaflets each. The flowers typically form clusters of anywhere from a few to many, measuring one to nearly two inches across, with light pink petals. They are beautiful flowers with a delightful fragrance and are commonly found at low to moderate altitudes in California, typically near streams. 221

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A charming type, delicate in both leaves and flowers, typically found in shady mountain woods. The slender shrub grows between one and three feet tall, with dark brown stems that have straight, slender thorns, and light green leaves that usually have several neat little leaflets, smooth and thin in texture. The flowers are about an inch across or smaller, usually solitary, with light yellow centers and bright pink petals, looking very clean and fresh, usually deeper in color towards the edges. The sepals don’t have leafy tips, and the flower stems, as well as sometimes the leaf stems, are covered with small, dark, sticky hairs; the buds are tipped with carmine. Neither the leaves nor the flowers have any fragrance.

This is the only kind. In open areas, in the Sierra forests, the ground is often covered for acres with the feathery leaves of this charming shrub, dotted all over with pretty white flowers. Mountain Misery doesn't seem like a fitting name for such an attractive plant at first, but when we walk through the low, green thickets, we discover not only that the tangled branches trip us up, but that the entire plant is coated in a strong-smelling, resinous substance that rubs off on our clothes in a very unpleasant way. On a warm day, the forest fills with a peculiar, medicinal scent, and later in the season, when we unpack our camping gear, we might be confused by the smell of "Pond's Extract" coming from our clothes. The shrub usually grows to less than two feet tall, with soft, evergreen leaves; the many small leaflets are so finely divided and scalloped that they look like soft ferns. The flowers resemble large strawberry blossoms and have a top-shaped, five-lobed calyx with many yellow stamens and one pistil, which turns into a large, leathery achene. The scent and foliage draw attention, and the shrub has many names, including Bear-mat and Kittikit, or Kit-kit-dizze, as called by the Indigenous people. Bears don’t eat it, so the name Bear-clover is misleading, and Tarweed belongs to a different plant. It is used for medicinal purposes. 223

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This is the only type of Stellariopsis; it's a perennial herb with leaves that have many tiny, crowded, overlapping leaflets; the flowers are white and grow in open clusters; there are five bractlets, sepals, and petals; fifteen stamens; and one pistil surrounded by bristles.

The leaves of this unique little plant resemble catkins or the sleek, gray tails of some small animal. They are cylindrical, about three to four inches long, made up of many tiny leaflets tightly packed around a long central stem. These tiny leaflets, barely more than green scales, are covered in soft, white fuzz, giving the entire "tail" a silky, silvery-gray look. From the center of a cluster of these unusual leaves, mostly from the root, emerge several very slender stems that branch out widely above, reaching six to twelve inches tall. At the ends of the branches are airy clusters of pretty little flowers that look like tiny strawberry blossoms. These little plants thrive in sandy soil at high altitudes and are abundant on the gravelly "domes" around Yosemite.

There are several types of Horkelia; they are perennial herbs with compound leaves, typically featuring many leaflets, and flowers that grow in clusters. The calyx is cup-shaped or saucer-shaped, with five teeth and five bractlets. There are ten stamens and two or more pistils with long, slender styles, all supported by a receptacle similar to that of Potentilla, which these plants resemble, although the flowers tend to be smaller and grow in tighter clusters.

A pretty plant, with attractive leaves, although the flowers aren’t very noticeable. The sturdy, rough stem, which can be purplish, stands one to two feet tall, and the leaves are dark green, slightly sticky, and sometimes fuzzy. The flowers are about half an inch wide, with white petals that have a pink tint, and they contrast nicely with the dark red or purplish calyxes and buds. However, the petals are too spaced out, and there aren't enough flowers blooming at once for a great visual impact. The plant varies quite a bit in hairiness and has several varieties. It’s commonly found in Yosemite. 225

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There are several types of Cowania.

Altitude and soil significantly affect the beauty of this shrub. On the rocky edge of the Grand Canyon, it grows to be four to eight feet tall, with a picturesque but twisted appearance, looking somewhat stunted. The gray bark hangs off the crooked branches and thick, contorted trunk in messy shreds, and the flowers are pale, sparse, and only faintly scented. Midway down Bright Angel Trail, it’s a stunning sight, vibrant and fragrant, reaching about twelve feet high, lush and healthy. The small, leathery, evergreen leaves grow in clusters along the branches, shiny and rich in color, highlighting the light yellow flowers with golden centers that form long spikes of bloom. The upper branches are densely packed with blossoms along their entire length, and when the wind moves the flowering branches back and forth, they release an exquisite scent reminiscent of orange flowers. The blooms are at their peak in the Canyon in May, but some flowers linger into August. The calyx is cup-shaped, with the petals and two rows of numerous stamens at the throat of the tube. The pistils, numbering from five to twelve, are thickly woolly. The achenes have pale, silky tails that are two inches or more in length, resembling gone-to-seed Clematis. For some mysterious reason, this shrub is called Quinine Bush at the Grand Canyon.

There are two types of Aruncus, similar to Spiraea; they have small white flowers, with the stamens and pistils found in separate flowers on different plants. The term Aruncus was used by Pliny to refer to a goat's beard.

A beautiful plant, standing three to seven feet tall, with somewhat branching stems and smooth, thin-textured leaves. The tiny cream-white flowers are densely packed along the numerous sprays that create a loose cluster about a foot long. The overall effect is incredibly light and graceful, providing a lovely contrast to the attractive foliage. This plant can be found in mountain woods across the continent, as well as in Europe and Asia. 227

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There are only a few types of Adenostoma, evergreen shrubs that have small, narrow, resinous leaves and clusters of small, white flowers.

This is a very attractive shrub, standing two to ten feet tall, with long, slender branches covered in clusters of leaves and large bunches of tiny flowers, somewhat resembling Spiraea. They have a feathery, creamy look thanks to the pale yellow stamens, and the olive-green leaves highlight them perfectly, creating a graceful overall effect as the slender, flower-tipped branches sway in the wind. This shrub is the most common and distinctive one found in the higher Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada Mountains, often covering miles of mountain slopes and resembling heather when not in bloom. When the chaparral is made up entirely of this shrub, it’s called chamisal. A. sparsifòlium from southern California has scattered leaves and larger flowers. It's very fragrant and used for medicinal purposes by Spanish Californians and Indigenous people, who refer to it as Yerba del Pasmo, or "convulsion herb."

There are many types of Spiraea, native to the northern temperate zone; they are shrubs with no stipules and have clusters of white or pink flowers.

This is a beautiful plant that stands one to three feet tall, featuring slender, reddish-brown stems with few branches and smooth, bright green leaves that are lighter underneath. The small flowers are cream-white with pinkish buds and create lovely, feathery, flat-topped clusters that are about three inches wide. This plant can be found on banks and rocky areas in the mountains, and it also grows in the East.

An attractive plant, but not as pretty as the last one. It’s about the same height but has more branches, with dark bluish-green leaves that are somewhat pale on the underside. The flowers are white or pale pink, with deep pink buds, and they grow in long clusters, not as feathery as the last, because the stamens aren’t as long. This grows in the mountains. 229

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A striking shrub that stands about three to five feet tall, featuring somewhat coarse leaves that are smooth but have a dull finish, with a pale underside covered in fine down. It produces many beautiful, compact spikes of small pink flowers that are warm-toned and darker at the center, highlighted by numerous long pink stamens that create a feathery look. The flowers have a slight sweet scent and bloom first from the top of the cluster, so the overall effect of the six to eight-inch-long spike is light pink and fuzzy at the top, gradually deepening to a raspberry pink towards the buds below. This shrub can be found along the edges of meadows and near streams.

There are two types of Chamaebatiaria, both from the western region; they are low shrubs; the flowers have five sepals, five petals, and around sixty stamens; the pistils are five, more or less fused together.

A pretty and unique-looking shrub, about three feet tall, with reddish stems and shreddy bark. The soft, downy leaves are a pale yellowish-green and are arranged at intervals along the branches in soft, feathery bunches. The flowers resemble small strawberry blossoms, have a slight fragrance, and form lovely clusters. This plant grows on rocks along the rim of the Grand Canyon, clinging to the edge and overhanging the depths.

There is just one type of Coleogyne.

The plateau in the Grand Canyon stretches for miles, covered with this low shrub that gives the landscape its distinct pale desert color. The flowers are more than half an inch wide, with one or two pairs of three-lobed bracts at the base, growing individually at the tips of the twigs. Unlike most plants in this family, they lack petals and have only four spreading sepals that are bright yellow inside. Two of the sepals are pointed, while the other two are more rounded. The ovary is enclosed in a yellow, hollow, urn-shaped receptacle, surrounded by numerous stamens attached at the base, featuring yellow anthers on thin filaments. 231 232 The tiny, narrow, toothless leaves are evergreen, leathery, and stiff, arranged opposite each other, grayish in color, and slightly downy. They cluster in small groups along the rigid twigs, which are almost at right angles to the reddish-gray branches and somewhat swollen at the joints. The entire shrub reaches a height of two to four feet, is stiff, almost thorny, and has a rather unwelcoming appearance, but the unique little flowers are quite pretty.

There are several types of Argentina, which differ from Potentilla in the leaflets and the style.

This forms large, sprawling clumps of many pale, fluffy stems that lie on the ground and take root at the joints, like strawberry runners, featuring attractive foliage and lovely flowers. The leaves are a deep green on the top and covered in silky white fuzz underneath, giving them a silvery look, while the flowers are over an inch wide, bright yellow with matching centers, and have long flower stalks that can be up to a foot tall. This plant is common and noticeable in wet meadows and also grows in Europe and Asia.

There are only a few types of Dryas, shrubby plants found in cold and arctic areas. The Latin name means "wood-nymph."