101 wildflowers of yosemite · 101 wildflowers of yosemite 85 buttercup family common buttercup...
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101WILDFLOWERSOF YOSEMITE
SNOW PLANT(Sarcodes sanguinea)
Special Number
YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
Price 25 cents
Yosemite Nature NotesTHE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF
THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DEPARTMENT
AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION
VOL . XVII
JUNE, 1938
NO. 6
101 Wildflowers of YosemiteBy M. E. Beatty, C . A. Harwell, and J. E . Cole
Illustrations by Mary V . Hood
This bulletin has been pre-pared to supply the need for asmall publication dealing with
the more common flowers ofthe Park. The illustrations wereall drawn by Mrs . Mary V.Hood, through whose untiringefforts this publication hasbeen made possible. The draw-
ings, all from living specimens,represent several summer' swork, therefore she has copy-righted them.
The text has been made sim-ple and non-technical . Scien-
tific names have been addedbecause common names varyso much in different localities.Sub-specific names (t h o s egiven for varieties within a spe-cies) have been omitted . The
"Manual of the FloweringPlants of California " by Dr . W.
L. Jepson, has been followed
for scientific names and for theorder in which the plants aretreated . Descriptions are of ne-cessity brief and the reader is
urged to consult standard flow-er texts for more detailed in-formation . A number of thesebooks may be read in the Yo-semite Museum Library or may
be purchased at the Museumsales counter.
The reader will undoubtedlydiscover a great number offlowering plants in the fieldthat are not described in thisbulletin, as over 1400 species
have been recorded for thePark. Please do not pick flow-er specimens as this is strictlyprohibited by park regulations.For identification of any plantyou don't recognize, write athorough description and the
naturalist on duty at the Mu-seum will gladly help you de-
termine it . Or visit the Museum
Wildflower Garden w h e r e
these 101 Wildflowers, together
with several hundred other
species are growing, all of
them plainly labelled .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
LILY FAMILY
DEATH CAMASZygadenus venenosus Wats.
Flowers s mall, numerous,greenish-white . Stems 3/4 to 2feet high. Leaves grass-like,mostly basal; often eaten bysheep with fatal results, hencethe name Death Camas . Ven-enosus is Latin for poisonous.Grows in moist meadows as inLittle Yosemite and YosemiteValleys, but nowhere abund-ant.
CORN LILY orFALSE HELLEBORE
Veratrum californicum Durand
Flowers mall, numerous, dull-white. Stems very stout, 3 to 6feet high, and leafy like a cornstalk. Leaves large, 6 to 12inches long, and broad, coarse-ly veined. Often mistaken forSkunk Cabbage which be-longs to a different family.Blooms mid-summer in moistmeadows above Valley rim.Best seen along Glacier PointRoad in July.
BLUE CAMASCamassia quamash Greene.
Flowers blue, loosely clusteredat top of stems which are 1 to2V, feet high . Leaves grass-like. Bulbs were extensivelyused by Indians for food. Scien-tific name taken from ChinookIndian words meaning sweet.Best seen in boggy meadowsalong the Glacier Point Roadwhere the conspicuous flowersform mass effects of blue .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
LILY FAMILY
SOAP PLANTChlorogalum pomeridianum
Kunth.
Flowers few, scattered, whitewith purple veins, open onlyin late afternoon . Stems almostleafless, 2 to 5 feet high . Leavesnumerous, often 2 feet long,margins wavy, unusually lyingflat upon the ground . Indiansused the bulbs for food, fishtaking, and the fiber for brush-es. Abundant around Wawona.
SWAMP ONIONAllium validum Wats.
Flowers many, rose-purple, in
dense umbrella-like h ACt d s.Stems stout, 1 to 3 feet high,two edged. Leaves 1 to 2 feetlong, grass-like. Plant hasstrong garlic odor as signifiedby its Latin name Allium. Thebulbs are used for food andflavoring. Fairly common inwet meadows at elevations be-tween 4000 and 9000 feet.
GOLDEN BRODIAEABrodiaea ixioides Wats.
Flowers golden-yellow, veinedwith brown, six-pointed andstar shaped, in open clusterson stems 1/2 to 1 %Z feet tall.Leaves few and grass-like.Bulbs used by Indians for food.Common in sandy areas up to8500 feet where it is replacedby a similar species .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
LILY FAMILY
HARVEST BRODIAEABrodiaea coronaria Jepson.
Flowers 3 to 11, violet-blue,
radiating umbrella-like fromthe end of the main stems,which are from 6 to 18 incheshigh. The leaves die before theplant blooms in late spring orearly summer. The bulbs were
eaten by the Indians . Best seenin Sierra foothills, YosemiteValley, Wawona and occasion-ally higher.
COMMON BRODIAEABrodiaea capitata Benth.
Flowers many, in, head-likeclusters of deep blue . Stems 6to 18 inches hi . Leaves grass-like, disappearing early . Bulbseaten raw by Indians and theearlier settlers . Capitata meanshead. This the commonest bra-diaea of the Sierra foothills isalso found in Yosemite Valley
and Wawona in early summer.
MARIPOSA LILYCalochortus leichtlinii Hook.
Flowers erect, cup - shaped,
petals white with yellow baseand a dark spot above thehairy , gland. Stems stiff, erect,from a few inches to a foot or
more in height . This or otherrelated species may be foundthroughout the region and in avariety of shades . Mariposa isSpanish for butterfly .
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LILY FAMILY
WASHINGTON LILYLilium washingtonianum Kell.
Flowers pure white, turningpurple with age, very largeand fragrant . Stems 2 to 5 feethigh. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long,1/2 to 1 %2 inches wide . Growson dry chaparral coveredslopes, its Easter Lily-like flow-ers projecting above the pro-tective thickets . Nowhere com-mon but found from elevationsof 6000 to 7500 feet.
LITTLE LEOPARD LILYLilium parvum Kell.
Flowers 2 to many, orange-yellow spotted with purple,1 to 1 1/2 inches long . Stems 1 1/2to 6 feet high . Leaves whorled,3 to 4 inches long, 1 inch orless broad . Found commonly inmoist situations up to 9000 feet.Best seen in Yosemite Valleynear Happy Isles.
FALSE SOLOMON'S SEALSmilacina amplexicaulis Nutt.
Flowers very small, white andin close clusters . Stems leafy,1 to 3 feet high. Leaves 3 to 5 1/2inches long, many - nerved.Stems and under sides of theleaves usually rough with shorthairs . Grows sparingly inshady woods . This and a relat-ed species may be seen up toelevations of 7000 feet .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
IRIS FAMILY
WESTERN BLUE FLAGIris missouriensis Nutt.
Flowers large, 2 to 2 1/2 incheslong, petals pale blue to white.
Stems 10 to 24 inches high,nearly naked except at base.Leaves about 1/4 inch wide,mostly shorter than the stem.
Best seen in El Capitan mea-dows in early summer.
BLUE-EYED GRASSSisyrinchium bellum Wats.
Flowers small, about %2 inchwide, blue with yellow at base,3 to 7 per stem. Stems two-edged, j to 2 feet high . Leavesgrass-like, very narrow andlong, but shorter than the stems.Plentiful in Yosemite Valley
meadows, blossoming in latespring.
ORCHID FAMILY
SIERRA REIN-ORCHISHabenaria leucostachys Wats.
Flowers white, in a long densespike . Stems robust, 1 to 3 feethigh, leafy throughout . Leaveslong, 1 inch or less wide, upper
ones shorter . This showy orchidis often encountered in wet,boggy places around YosemiteValley and the Mariposa Groveof Big Trees .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
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ORCHID FAMILY
SPOTTED CORAL-ROOT
Corallorrhiza maculata Raf.
Flowers brownish, spotted withpurple . Stems 1 to 2 feet high.Leaves reduced to paperysheaths. This plant is a sapro-phyte or root-parasite, hence is
without green herbage. Growsamong pine needles and otherdecaying vegetation through-out the Yosemite region but no-where common.
BIRTHWORT FAMILY
WILD GINGERAsarum hartwegi Worts.
Flowers brownish, hairy, gen-erally hidden by the clumps of
broad, strikingly mottled, heart-shaped leaves. Stems appearlacking, the rootstalks, or sub-terranium prostrate stems, arehidden among the dry leavesor duff . The rootstalks, although
highly aromatic, are not usedcommercially . C o m m o nthroughout the Yellow Pine beltin Yosemite.
BUCKWHEAT FAMILY
KNOTWEEDPolygonum bistortoides Pursh.
Flowers white, in compact
roundish or cylindrical termi-nal heads. Stems %2 to 2 feethigh. Basal leaves 3 to 5 incheslong, %2 to 1 inch wide, upperleaves smaller . Common asshowy speckling of white flow-
ers topping the green grass inwet meadows of moderate alti-
hide .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
BUCKWHEAT FAMILY
NUDE BUCKWHEAT
Eriogonum nudum Dougl.
Flowers small, dull white topink, crowded in ball-shapedheads in forks and on ends ofstems. Stems 1 to 3 feet high,slender, without leaves (nud-
urn) . Leaves 1 to 2 inches longin a basal cluster. Common in
dry areas throughout Park.
SULPHUR FLOWEREriogonum umbellatum Torr.
Flowers sulphur-yellow, numer-ous, forming dense umbrella-like heads. Stems 3 to 12 incheshigh, many branched . Leavessmall, white-woolly underneathand smooth above . Common at
middle elevations on d r y,rocky, open slopes, as on Sen-tinel Dome.
PURSLANE FAMILY
PUSSY PAWSCalyptridium umbellatum
Greene.
Flowers rose-colored, in denseclusters at ends of stems. Stemserect or more commonly semi-protrate, 4 to 12 inches long,nearly bare of leaves. Leavesmainly basal, 1 to 4 incheslong. Common in Valley andthroughout Park in dry, openareas .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
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PURSLANE FAMILY
MINER' S LETTUCE
Montia perfoliata Howell
Flowers tiny, white to pinkish.Stems %z to 1 foot high, bareexcept for a pair of unitedleaves j u s t below flowersthrough which stems appear to
penetrate . Other leaves basal.The succulent basal leavesand stems were eaten by In-dians and miners as greens.Common in Yosemite Valley inshady spots.
PINK FAMILY
INDIAN PINK
Silene californica Dur.
Flowers brilliant scarlet, overan inch across, with deeplycleft petals . Stems % to 1 foothigh. Leaves 1 to 3 inches long.The common name "pink" re-fers not to the color but to thepinking (serrated edges) of thepetals . Best seen in open wood-ed areas along the WawonaRoad.
BUTTERCUP FAMILY
MARSH MARIGOLDCaltha biflora DC.
Flowers showy, white or blu-ish on back. Stems erect, 4 to12 inches high, naked. Leaves1 to 4 inches wide, basal.Grows in moist places at high-er elevations such as wetmeadows along Glacier PointRoad .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
BUTTERCUP FAMILY
RED COLUMBINEAquilegia truncata F. & M.
Flowers red, with yellow cen-ters, usually nodding . Stems 1to 3 feet high, slender. Basalleaflets deeply lobed . Hum-mingbirds enjoy the nectarin the long flower-spurs. Com-mon at all elevations in Park upto near timberline where it is
replaced by the blue HighMountain Columbine.
LARKSPURDelphinium decorum F. & M.
Flowers deep blue, in a loosecluster along stem. Stems slen-der, % to 2 feet high . Leavesfew, lower ones deeply lobed.
Best seen in meadows andopen spaces of pine forests.Many species of native lark-spurs are known to be poison-ous to cattle and horses.
MONKSHOODAconitum columbianum Nutt.
Flowers blue, often mixed with
white; helmet-shaped hoodsdistinctive. Stems 1 %z to 3 feethigh. Lower leaves five-lobed,2 to 3 inches wide. Found in
moist places at 4000 to 8000 ft.This particular species of
monkshood is believed to bepoisonous to cattle .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
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BUTTERCUP FAMILY
COMMON BUTTERCUPRanunculus californicus Benth.
Flowers several, yellow, ¼ toinch wide. Stems loosely
branched, 1 to 2 feet high. Up-per leaves small and few, low-er ones parted, the lobes tooth-ed . Common in dry meadowsof Yosemite Valley and Wawo-na.
POPPY FAMILY
CALIFORNIA POPPY
Eschscholtzia califomicaCham.
Flowers orange to pale yellow,to 2 inches wide . Stems erect,
leafy, 3/4 to 2 feet high. Leavesmuch dissected into segments
1 to 6 inches long . Found only
at lower elevations such asWawona and a few places inYosemite Valley . Our stateflower.
FUMITORY FAMILY
BLEEDING HEARTDicentra formosa DC.
Flowers rose-purple, hear '-shaped, clustered near end ofstems. Stems naked, 8 to 18inches high. Leaves with many
lobes, all from creeping root-stalks. Grows in shaded woodsin Yosemite Valley and up to6000 feet in the Park .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
MUSTARD FAMILY
SHIELD LEAFStreptanthus tortuosus Kell.
Flowers small, rose-purple orwhitish with purple vein s.Stems 4 to 3 feet high, manybranched. Leaves oblong to
roundish, the upper ones clasp-ing the stems . Pods slender, 2to 6 inches long . Common inYosemite throughout the pinebelt.
WESTERN WALL-FLOWERErysimum asperum DC.
Flowers bright orange, in ter-minal clusters . Stems erect, 1to 2 1/2 feet high. Leaves narrow,3 to 6 inches long, edges at
times toothed. Common fromthe foothills up to about 8000 ft.
STONECROP FAMILY
STONECROPSedum obtusatum Gray.
Flowers orange-yellow, small.Stems 4 to 6 inches high withfew leaves . Leaves thick andsucculent, in basal rosettes.Plant spreading and matted.Common at higher elevationsin the Park, particularly in
rocky areas . Formerly commonon Sentinel Dome .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
87
SAXIFRAGE FAMILY
ALUM-ROOTHeuchera micrantha Doug1.
Flowers minute, numerous,white. Flowering stems 1 to 2feet high. Leaves mostly basal,
roughly heart-shaped, 1 to 3 1/7inches wide, more or lesstoothed and lobed. The foliageis more attractive than the flow-ers and forms a lovely decora-tion on shady slopes surround-ing Yosemite Valley.
ROSE FAMILY
SPIREA
Spiraea densiflora Nutt.
Flowers small, numerous, rose-colored, forming compact roundterminal clusters to 1 %2
inches across. Stems woody,leafy, forming dense clumpsup to 2 feet high . Leaves %Z to
1 %Z inches long, edges toothed.A common low shrub best seenat Yosemite Falls, Tenaya Lakeand Merced Lake.
WILD STRAWBERRYFragaria californica C. & S.
Flowers white, %z to 1 inchwide, in irregular clusters.Nearly leafless stems 4 to 5inches high. Leaves in threes,thin, edges toothed. Berries redand small . Found commonlyup to 6500 foot elevationthroughout Park. Berries eatenby chipmunks, birds and tour-ists .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
ROSE FAMILY
YELLOW CINQUEFOIL
Potentilla glandulosa Lindl.
Flowers yellow, solitary onends of many branched stemswhich are j2 to 2 feet high.Leaves with notched edges,mainly basal. This plant with
a similar sub-species occursthroughout the Yosemite re-gion .
MOUSE-TAILSPotentilla santolinoides
Greene.
Flowers small, white, numer-ous, spreading widely from themain stems . Stems thin, nearlynaked, % to 1 foot high, widely
branched above . Leaves main-ly basal, resembling worms ormouse-tails . Fairly common athigher elevations on tops ofdomes and other open sandyplaces.
CALIFORNIA WILD ROSE
Rosa californica C. & S.
Flowers rose-pink, %2 to 2
inches wide. Stems erect, 1 to 6feet high, with stout prickles.Leaves 5 to 7, sharply toothed.This shrub is common in Yo-
semite up to elevations of 7000feet. The flowers are bothabundant and fragrant .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
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ROSE FAMILY
MOUNTAIN MISERYChamaebatia foliolosa Benth.
Flowers white, %Z inch wide, inloose terminal clusters . Stemslow, woody and shrub-like.Leaves lacy, composed of tinycrowded lobes . Plants have apungent, witch-hazel-like odor.
Kit-kit-dizze and Bear Cloverare other common names . Bestseen along Wawona Roadwhere it forms solid carpetsunder pines.
PEA FAMILY
MEADOW LUPINELupinus confertus Kell.
Flowers blue or pinkish, about
%2 inch long, crowded andwhorled around upper part ofstem. Stems 6 to 15 inches tall.Leaves gray, consisting of 5 to
8 leaflets. Common in drymeadows throughout the Yo-semite region . There are overa dozen other species of lu-pines in the Park.
MEADOW HOSACKIALotus oblongifolius Greene
Flowers yellow with somewhite parts, %Z inch long. SterneI to 2 feet high, weak and slen-der but erect . Pods flat . Leaf-lets 5 to 11 in pairs . Commonin moist, grassy places below
7000 feet. Best seen on bordersof meadows in Yosemite Val-ley .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
GERANIUM FAMILY
WILD GERANIUMGeranium incisum Nutt.
Flowers pink to white ; petalswith deep red veins . Stemserect, 1 to 2 feet high . Leaves 2to 4 inches wide, roundish and
divided into 5 or 7 lobed seg-ments. Grows throughout theYellow ' Pine belt in Yosemite.
MALLOW FAMILY
WILD HOLLYHOCKSidalcea malvaeflora Gray
Flowers rose-pink to purple, %z
to 1 1/2 inches long . Stems 1 to 3feet high, rough with shorthairs . Leaves variable, the low-er ones bluntly lobed and theupper ones divided and tooth-
ed. Generally associated withWild Geranium in Yellow Pineforests.
ST . JOHNS-WORT FAMILY
ST. JOHNS-WORTHypericum formosum H .B .K.
Flowers yellow, petals 1/2 inchlong, in loose terminal clusters.Stems erect, % to 3 feet high.Leaves 1/2 to 1 inch long, themargins black-dotted. Formsshowy masses in meadowsand along streams at middle
altitudes throughout Park .
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91
VIOLET FAMILY
WESTERN DOG VIOLET
Viola adunca Sm.
Flowers blue-violet, petals 1/2inch long, spurs nearly as long.Stems leafy and up to 4 inches
long. Leaves round-oval, %2 to
2 inches long. Found in mead-ows up to 9500 feet . Best seenmoist meadows in YosemiteValley.
EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILYCALIFORNIA FUCHSIA
Zauschneria latifolia Greene.
Flowers scarlet, 1 to 1 1/2 inches
long, tubular, stamens project-ing. Stems 1/2 to 2 %2 feet high.Leaves gray and hairy, %2 to
1 1/4 inches long . Much favoredby hummingbirds. Grows on
rocky slopes up to 6500 feet.Blooms in late summer.
FIRE-WEEDEpilobium angustifolium L.
Flowers lilac-purple, large andnumerous. Stems erect, 2 to 6
feet high. Leaves 3 to 6 incheslong, nearly entire, narrow.
Widely distributed in meadowsand along stream banks.Especially luxuriant and showyin burned-over areas, hencethe common name "Fire-weed . "
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY
CLARKIAClarkia rhomboidea Dougl.
Flowers rose - purple, petals I/4to ',/2 inch long. Stems erect, Ito 3 feet high. Leaves 4 to 1inches, long, '/ to j incheswide. Nowhere abundant but
widely distributed throughoutthe lower part of the YellowPine belt.
FAREWELL TO SPRINGGodetia viminea Spach.
Flowers purplish or crimson,
with a large purple splotch incenter of petals, the base yel-lowish; petals %2 to J incheslong. Stems erect, from a fewinches to 2 feet high . Leaves %2
to 1V, inches long, narrow.Common in Yosemite Valley'
during summer.
EVENING PRIMROSEOenothera hookeri T . & G.
Flowers yellow and large; pet-als 1 to 2 inches long. Stemsstout, erect, 3 to 6 feet high.Leaves 4 to 10 inches longOnce common in Yosemite Valley but eagerly sought by deer
Best seen in Museum Wildflow-er Garden in early eveningwhen it rapidly bursts into fullbloom from the bud. EveningPrimrose Walks are scheduledseveral times weekly duringJuly and August .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
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EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY
GAYOPHYTUMGayophytum diffusum T. & G.
Flowers small, white, turningpink with age, loosely dispos-ed along branches . Stems arewidely branched, !/2 to 2 feethigh. Leaves up to 2 incheslong and very narrow. Com-mon in dry open places up toHudsonian Zone. Blooms in
late summer.
PARSLEY FAMILY
QUEEN ANNE'S LACEEulophus bolanderi C. & R.
Flowers small, white, numer-ous, in flat heads or umbels
which have a distinctly lacyappearance. Stems nearly na-ked, 1 to 2 feet high . Leaves 3to 6 inches long. Best seen inmeadows along Glacier PointRoad in July.
COW PARSNIPHeracleum lanatum Michx.
Flowers white, small, innumer-
able, forming umbrella - likeheads 6 to 10 inches wide.Stems course and heavy, 4 to6 feet high. Leaflets in threes,deeply lobed and toothed, 3 to12 inches across. Common in
moist places at middle alti-tudes as in Yosemite Valley .
94 YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
HEATH FAMILY
WHITE-VEINED SHIN-LEAFPirola picta Sm.
Flowers greenish-white, nod-ding. Stems 6 to 15 inches high,without leaves . Leaves basal,shiny green with white veins,1 to 2% inches long. Pictameans painted or ornamented.
Found in shady pine forestsin Yosemite Valley and athigher elevations.
PINE DROPSPterospora andromeda Nutt.
Flowers white, bell - shaped,
nodding, small . Stems erect,
fleshy but rather slender, verysticky, 1 to 4 feet high . Leavesreduced to reddish - brownscales . Grows in rich humus offorest floor. Best seen in Yo-semite Valley along the Lost
Arrow Trail.
SNOW PLANTSarcodes scmguinea Torr.
Flowers red, fleshy, bell-shap-ed, % to % inches long . closelycrowded around main stem.Stems erect, stout and fleshy,9 to 18 inches high, 1 inch ormore thick. Bears reddishscales instead of leaves. This
beautiful and unusual sapro-phytic plant blooms early, gen-erally along the edge of amelting snow bank. Best seenin the Mariposa Grove of BigTrees in June and July.
t
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
95
HEATH FAMILY
RED HEATHERPhyllodoce breweri Heller
Flowers rose-purple, cup-shap-ed, in terminal clusters . Stemserect, leafy, 6 to 12 inches high.Leaves very narrow, short,thickly crowded around stems.Grows only at higher eleva-
tions where they form exten-sive, showy stands . A 1 s oknown as Bryanthus.
WHITE HEATHERCassiope mertensiana Don.
Flowers pure white, bell-shap-ed, nodding, with tiny red caps.Stems rigid, 1 foot or less high,densely leafy . Leaves veryshort, closely overlapped in 4rows. Found along rocky
ridges and under ledges neartimber-line. Occasionally foundas low as Tuolumne Meadows.
PRIMROSE FAMILY
SIERRA SHOOTING STARSDodecatheon ieffreyi Moore
Flowers 3/4 to 1 inch long, rose-pink, base yellowish with dis-tinct purple band . Stems naked,5 to 18 inches high, bearing acluster of 5 to 15 nodding flow-
ers. Leaves 2 to 15 inches longfrom base . This and other re-lated species are found com-monly throughout the Yosem-ite region in wet meadows .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
GENTIAN FAMILY
GENTIANGentian holopetala Holm.
Flowers blue, tubular, 1 to 2inches long. Stems 3 to 15 inch-
es high, each bearing a single,erect terminal flower. Leavesshort and narrow . Found inmeadows ranging from 5000 to
10,000 feet elevation. Anotherspecies fairly common at loweraltitudes has fringed-edges tothe petals.
DOGBANE FAMILY
INDIAN HEMPApocynum cannabinum L.
Flowers small, greenish-whiteto pinkish-white, in short termi-nal clusters . Stems erect, 2 to 4feet high. Leaves pale green, 1to 3 inches long. The YosemiteIndians had many uses for thestrong stem fibers . Best seennear Bridalveil Fall.
MILKWEED FAMILY
SHOWY MILKWEEDAsclepias speciosa Torr.
Flowers pink to reddish-purple,
quite showy in full bloom.Stems stout, 2 to 5 feet high.Leaves gray, woolly, oblong, 3to 8 inches long, opposite onstems. The stems of milkweedalso furnished a strong fibermuch used by the Indians. Bestseen in Yosemite Valley .
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GILIA FAMILY
DOUGLAS PHLOXPhlox douglasii Hook.
Flowers vary from nearlywhite to pink or bluish-purple,
terminal on short branchlets.Stems very leafy, forming stiffmats 3 to 4 inches high. Leavesdensely crowded, nearly awl-shaped, sharply pointed, veryshort . Grows on gravelly slopes
and summits above 5000 feet.
SCARLET GILIAGilia aggregata Spreng.
Flowers scarlet or reddish, 1 to1 1/2 inches long, stamens pro-truding from tube. Stems erect,1 to 2 ~/2 inches high. Leaves di-vided into long narrow sec-tions. This, the most showy ofour many gilias, may be found
growing in loose, gravelly soilat intermediate elevations.
GLOBE CILIA
Cilia capitata Dougl.
Flowers pale blue to white,numerous in dense terminalheads. Stems 3/4 to 2 feet high,branched above. Leaves di-vided into narrow, deeplynotched lobes, 1 to 4 incheslong. Best seen in YosemiteValley and at Wawona.
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
PHACELIA FAMILY
BABY BLUE-EYES
Nemophila menziesii H. & A.
Flowers %Z to 1 inch wide,light to deep blue, or whitish,often veined with purple and
dotted toward center. Stemsbranching, 4 to 12 inches high.Leaves !2 to 3 inches long,deeply lobed, the upper leavesless divided. Common foothillspecies reaching Yosemite Val-ley and Wawona.
DRAPERIADraperies systyla Torr.
Flowers pale lavender, tubu-
lar, about 1/2 inch long. Stemsup to 11/ feet high . Leaves op-posite, entire, 1 to 2 inches long,silk-hairy. Grows throughoutthe Yellow Pine belt . Best seen
along trails to rim of Valley.
CATERPILLAR PLANTPhacelia heterophylla Pursh.
Flowers whitish or pale blue,.crowded in coiled terminal
clusters resembling caterpil-lars; stamens hairy and pro-truding. Stems 1 to 2 feet high,erect. Leaves grayish, mostlybasal, 1 to 6 inches long. Vari-
ations of this plant may befound from the foothills to re-gions above timber-line .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
99
BORAGE FAMILY
SIERRA FORGET-ME-NOT
Lappula velutina Piper.
Flowers blue, sometimes pink,about i/2 inch wide. Stemserect, 1 to 2 feet high . Leaves 1to 3 inches long, smooth and
velvety . Grows between 5000and 8500 foot elevation. Bestseen near Glacier Point.
MOUNTAIN BLUEBELLMertensia ciliata Don.
Flowers light blue, tubular,
with distinct white crests in theopenings. Stems erect, 1 to 5feet high, leafy. Leaves 2i/ to6 inches long, % to 1¼ incheswide . The handsome blue flow-ers, which are usually nodding,
are pink in the bud, forming alovely mass contrast. Grows atGlacier Point and higher.
MINT FAMILY
GIANT HYSSOP
Agastache urticifolia Ktze.
Flowers lavender and white,numerous, in crowded termi-nal spikes 2 to 6 inches long.Stems 3 to 5 feet high . Leaves 1to 3 inches long, toothed . Allmints have square stems andopposite leaves . Grows
throughout Park at moderatealtitudes . Common at Wawonaand in Yosemite Valley .
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YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
MINT FAMILY
SELF-HEALBrunella vulgaris L.
Flowers pinkish to purple, indense terminal clusters . Stemssquare, 4 to 12 inches high.Leaves opposite, 1 to 3 incheslung. Found in mountain mead-ows up to 6000 feet . Natural-ized from Europe where it was
used as a curative herb.
WESTERN PENNYROYALMonardella lanceolata Gray.
Flowers reddish-violet, m com-pact heads 1 inch wide . Stemserect, '/2 to 2 feet high, square.Leaves few, opposite, 1 to 2 1/2inches long. This showy frag-rant mint is common at lower
elevations being replaced high-er by Mt. Pennyroyal.
NIGHTSHADE FAMILY
NIGHTSHADESolarium xcmtii Gray.
Flowers azure - blue, saucer-shaped, %2 to 3/4 inches across.Stems several, shrub-i i k e,spreading, 1 to 3 feet high.Leaves %2 to 11/2 inches long,entire . Berries light green, cher-ry size, considered poisonous.Easily recognized by the yel-low anthers standing together
in the center of the blue flow-ers. Grows up to 6500 foot ele-vation.
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
101
FIGWORT FAMILY
COMMON MULLEINVerbascum thapsus L.
Flowers yellow, crowded in along, dense spike 1 to 3 feet
long, 1 %4 inches thick. Stemsstout, densely woolly, 3 to 6feet high. Leaves 6 to 12 incheslong, oblong-shaped, opposite.An introduced European weednow common in Yosemite Val-
ley and at Wawona.
INNOCENCECollinsia tinctoria Hartwg.
Flowers white to yellowish,purple marked in throat; insuccessive whorls around stem.
Stems erect, j2 to 2 feet high.Leaves opposite, 1 %Z to 2%zinches long, coursely toothed.Tinctoria refers to the brownishstain imparted by handling theherbage . Found in warm areas
of Wawona and Yosemite Val-ley .
LITTLE COLLINSIACollinsia torreyi Gray
Flowers deep blue or violet,small, 3 to 6 in whorls around
main stem. Stems erect, branch-
ing, 6 inches or less high.Leaves narrow, seldom over2 inches long. This small daintyplant is common in the pinebelt up to 6000 feet .
102
YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
FIGWORT FAMILY
PRIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS
Pentstemon newberryi Gray.
Flowers bright red, tubular, 1to l '/z inches long. Stems num-erous, 1 foot or less high.Leaves %2 to 1 inch long, upperones smaller . This, and a sim-
ilar high mountain speciesmay be found throughout thePark. Best seen on rocky ledgesaround Yosemite Valley.
YAWNING PENTSTEMONPentstemon breviflorus Lindl.
Flowers white to flesh-coloredwith pinkish markings, upper
lip arched, lower lip curveddownward, giving flower ap-pearance of yawning . Stems 3to 6 feet high, much branched.
Leaves opposite, 1 inch ormore long. Pent-stemon meansfive stamens . Dry hot hillsidesup to 6500 feet.
WHORLED PENTSTEMONPentstemon confertus Dougl.
Flowers blue, tubular, %Z inchor less long, in successivewhorls . Stems erect, 3 inches to2 feet high. Leaves 1 to 4 incheslong. Plants variable in sizeand appearance according toelevation. Occurs in meadowsthroughout Park.
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
103
FIGWORT FAMILY
LITTLE RED MIMULUSMimulus torreyi Gray.
Flowers pink-purple, 1/2 to 3/4
inches long. Stems from a fewinches to 1 foot high, branch-ing. Leaves entire, ,/2 to 1 inch
long. This dainty little mimulusforms red carpets in dry, openplaces . Several other species oflittle mimulus are to be foundin the area.
COMMON MONKEY FLOWERMimulus guttatus DC.
Flowers bright yellow, withbrownish spots in throat, 1 inchor more long. Stems erect,leafy, 1 to 2 feet high . Leavessharply toothed, 3/4 to 1 %zinches long. This species to-gether with other varieties maybe found at all elevations inthe Sierra.
SCARLET MIMULUSMimulus cardinalis Dougl.
Flowers scarlet, 1 1/2 to 2 incheslong, decidedly two - lipped,stamens protruding. Stemsstout, many branched, up to 4
feet high. Leaves coursely
toothed, 2 to 4 inches long . In
swamps or near running waterat middle elevations . Best seenin Yosemite Valley and at Wa-wona. M. lewisii, a pink flower-ed species grows at higher ele-
vations .
104
YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
FIGWORT FAMILY
INDIAN PAINT BRUSHCastilleia miniata Dougl.
Flowers red, 1 to 1 %2 incheslong, clustered in dense termi-nal spikes. Stems erect, 2 to 4feet high. Leaves entire, 1 to 3inches long . Common in moistmeadows from 3000 to 10,000 ft.Closely related to Owl's Clover
from which it is at times diffi-cult to distinguish.
OWL'S CLOVEROrthocarpus purpurascens
Benth.
Flowers crimson to purplish, 1to 114 inches long. Stems erect,6 to 12 inches high. Leavesparted into many narrow seg-ments . Abundant in foothills
and lower elevations of Park.Best seen at Wawona. Similarspecies common at higher ele-vations.
ELEPHANT HEADSPedicularis groenlandica Retz.
Flowers pink to red, in densespikes 2 to 6 inches long. Theupturned beaks resemble ele-
phant trunks. Stems %Z to 1 i/2
feet high. Leaves finely dividedand feather-like, larger andmore numerous at base ofstems. They may be foundgrowing in wet places at highelevations such as Tuolumne
Meadows .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
105
MADDER FAMILY
SWEET-SCENTED BEDSTRAW
Galium triflorum Michx.
Flowers tiny, greenish-whiteon three-forked flower-stalks.Stems branching, rough, slen-der, 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves
to 1 ,/2_ inches long, mostly six
to each circle . The flowers arefollowed by tiny, prickly balls.They grow in damp. shadyplaces in Yosemite Valley.
SUNFLOWER FAMILY
GOLDENWEED
Aplopappus bloomeri Gray
Flower-heads yellow, small,numerous . Stems 1 , to 3 feethigh, shrub-like . Leaves verynarrow, 3/4 to 2 inches long,green and somewhat sticky orsometimes white-wooly . A lowshrub which grows in sandysoil from 6000 to 9500 feet in oc-casional clumps . Best seen onGlacier Point and Tioga Roadsin midsummer.
GOLDENROD
Solidago elongata Nutt.
Flowers yellow, tiny, in smallcompact heads forming a py-ramidal mass 3 to 7 inches
long. Stems 1 to 4 feet high,
leafy to the top . Leaves 2 to 4inches long, sharply notchedexcept at base . Common inmeadows at middle elevationssuch as Yosemite Valley .
106
YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
SUNFLOWER FAMILY
LESSINGIALessinqia leptoclada Gray.
Flower-heads lilac, on slenderstalks branching from erectstems ,4 to 2 feet high. Leaveswoolly, 1 %2 inches or less inlength. Abundant up to 5000feet . Best seen in Yosemite Val-ley in late summer.
YOSEMITE ASTERAster adscendens Lindl.
Disk-flowers yellow, ray-flow-
ers violet, heads 4 to 3/4 incheswide . Stems slender, leafy, 1 to2 feet high. Leaves entire, 2 to4 inches long. One of the mostshowy asters found in Yosem-ite. Best seen in Yosemite Val-
ley but similar appearingasters grow at higher eleva-tions .
DAISY FLEABANEErigeron ramosus B.S .P.
Flower-heads small, numerous,with many white rays . Heads
3/4 to 1 inch across . Stems erect,1 %Z to 4 feet high, branching
above. Leaves 2 to 4 inches
long, rough-hairy. Common inYosemite Valley. Plant nat-uralized from Eastern UnitedStates .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
107
SUNFLOWER FAMILY
BLACK-EYED SUSAN
Rudbeckia hirta L.
Disks brownish, broadly coni-cal but not over % inch high.Rays orange - yellow. Stemserect, leafy, 1 1/2 to 4 feet high,often ending in several flower-
heads. Leaves nearly entire, 2
to 4 inches long. Herbagerough-hairy. Introduced fromthe Mississippi region, now be-coming common in YosemiteValley, blooming in July andAugust .
CONE FLOWERRudbeckia californica Gray.
Heads large, the brown or pur-
plish disk-flowers form a cone1 to 2 inches high, the long ray-flowers yellow. Stems erect,leafy, 2 to 4 feet high terminat-ing in single flowers. Leaves 4to 12 inches long, 1 to 5 incheswide, rough-hairy. Grows be-tween 5000 and 7000 feet ele-
vation . Best seen at Crane Flat.
NARROW MULE-EARSWyethia angustifolia Nutt.
Rays about 1 inch long, yellow.Disks yellow, slightly smaller,
stiff and hairy. Stems 1 to 2
feet high, rough-hairy . Leaves
4 to 12 inches long, % to 2inches wide. Common in theYellow Pine belt.
108
YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
SUNFLOWER FAMILY
TARWEED
Madia elegans Don.
Heads about D/2 inches across,disks yellow, the 12 to 15 raysabout %z inch long, yellow withred spot at base. Stems 6 to 18inches high, white - hairy.
Leaves narrow, 1 to 4 incheslong. Abundant in foothills,reaching to middle elevationssuch as near Wawona.
SNEEZEWEEDHelenium bigelovii Gray.
Rays yellow, drooping, aboutinch long. Disks yellow, %4
to 1 inch across. Stems branch-
ing, 2 to 4 feet high . Leavesgreen, 4 to 10 inches long,about V, inch wide . Commonin meadows and along streamsat moderate altitudes.
WHITE YARROW or MILFOILAchillaea millefolium L.
Heads % inch high in flat-top-
ped terminal clusters, with 4 to6 white rays, disks yellow.Stems erect, leafy, 1 to 3 feethigh. Leaves finely cut intomany (mil-foil) feathery leaflets.Abundant at most elevaf;ons .
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
109
SUNFLOWER FAMILY
SENECIOSenecio lugens Rich.
Flowers yellow in clusteredterminal heads, with or withoutrays. Stems stout, 1 to 3 feethigh. Leaves mainly basal,
scattered, 2 to 8 inches long.This is the most common spec-ies of the many senecios foundthroughout the Yosemite region.
SIERRA THISTLE
Cirsium californicum Gray.
Heads large, 1 1/2 to 2 incheshigh, cream-colored or pur-plish, outer bracts prickly.
Stems 2 to 5 feet high, white-woolly. Leaves narrow, 1 to 8inches long, white - woolly,deeply . notched, prickly. Com-mon on warm slopes up to6000 feet as on Wawona Road .
Brodiaea, Common 78Brodiaea, Golden 77Brodiaea, Harvest 78Buckwheat Family 81-82Buckwheat, Nude 82Buttercup, Common 85Buttercup, Family 83-85
California Fuchsia 91California Poppy 85California Wild Rose 88Camas, Blue 76Camas, Death 76Caterpillar Plant 98
Index to Common Names
Alum-root 87'Aster, Yosemite 106
Baby Blue-eyes 98Bear Clover 89Bedstraw, Sweet-scented 105Birthwort Family 81Black-eyed Susan 107
Bleeding Heart 95Bluebell, Mountain 99Blue Camas 76Blue-eyed Grass 80Blue Flag, Western 80forage Family 80
110
YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
Cinquefoil, Yellow 88Clarkia 92Collinsia, Little 101
Columbine, Red 84Cone Flower 107Coral-root, Spotted 81Corn Lily 76Cow Parsnip 93
Daisy Fleabane 106Death Camas 76Dogbane Family 96Douglas Phlox 97Draperia 98
Elephant Heads 104Evening Primrose 92Evening Primrose Family 91-93
False Solomon's Seal 79Farewell-to-Spring 92Figwort Family 101-104Fire-weed 91
Flag, Western Blue 80Fleabane, Daisy 1-06Forget-me-not, Sierra 99Fuchsia, California 91
Fumitory Family 85
Gayophytum 93Gentian Family 96Gentian, Fringed 96Geranium Family 90Geranium, Wild 90Gilia Family 97
Gilia, Globe 97Gilia, Scarlet 97
Ginger, Wild 81Globe Gilia 97Golden Brodiaea 77Goldenrod 105Grass, Blue-eyed 80
Harvest Brodiaea 78Heath Family 94-95Heather, Red 95Heather, White 95Hellebore, False 76
Hemp, Indian 96Hollyhock, Wild 90
Hosackia, Meadow 89Hyssop, Giant 99
Indian Hemp 96Indian Paint Brush 104Indian Pink 83Innocence 101Iris Family 80
Kit-kit- izze 89Knotweed 81
Larkspur 84Lessingia 106
Lettuce, Miner's 83Lily, Corn 76
Lily Family 76-79Lily, Little Leopard 79Lily, Mariposa 78Lily, Washington 79Little Leopard Lily 79Lupine, Meadow 89
Madder Family 105
Mallow Family 90Marigold, Marsh 83Mariposa Lily 78
Marsh Marigold 83Milfoil 108
Milkweed Family 96Milkweed, Showy 96
Mimulus, Common 103Mimulus, Little Red 103Mimulus, Scarlet 103Miner 's Lettuce 83Mint Family 99-100Monkey Flower 103Monkshood 84
Mountain Misery 89Mouse-tails 88Mule-ears, Narrow 107Mullein, Common 101Mustard Family 86
Nightshade 100Nightshade Family 100
101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE
111
Onion, Swamp 77Orchid Family 80-81
Orchis, Rein 80Owl 's Clover 104
Paint Brush, Indian 104Parsley Family 93Parsnip, Cow 93
Pea Family 89Pennyroyal, Western 100Pentstemon, Whorled 102Pentstemon, Yawning 102Phacelia Family 98Phlox, Douglas 97Pine Drops 94Pink Family 83
Pink, Indian 83Poppy, California 85Poppy Family 85Pride of the Mountains 102Primrose, Evening 92Primrose Family 95Purslane Family 82-83Pussy Paws 82
Queen Anne 's Lace 93
Rabbit Brush 105Rein-orchis, Sierra 80Rose, California Wild 88Rose Family 87-89
St . Johns-wort 90St . Johns-wort Family 90
Index to Scientific NamesAchillaea millefolium 108
Aconitum columbianum 84Agastache urticifolia 99Allium validum 77
Apocynum cannabinum 96Aquilegia truncata 84Asarum hartwegi 81
Asclepias speciosa 96Aster adscendens 106
Brodiaea capitata 78Brodiaea coronaria 78
Saxifrage Family 87Scarlet Gilia 97
Scarlet Mimulus 103Self-heal 100Senecio 109Shield Leaf 86Shin-leaf, White-veined 94Shooting Star, Sierra 95
Soap Plant 77Soloman 's Seal, False 79Spirea 87Sneezeweed 108
Snow Plant 94Stonecrop 86Stonecrop Family 86Strawberry, Wild 87Sulphur Flower 82Sunflower Family 105-109Susan, Black-eyed 107Swamp Onion 77
Tarweed 108Thistle, Sierra 109
Violet Family 91Violet, Western Dog 91
Wallflower, Western 86Washington Lily 79White-veined Shin-leaf 94
Yarrow, White 108Yawning Pentstemon 102
Brodiaea ixiodes 77Brunella vulgaris 100Bryanthus breweri 95
Calochortus leichtlinii 78Caltha biflora 83
Calyptridium umbellatum 82Camassia quamash 76Cassiope mertensiana 95Castilleia miniata 104Chamaebatia foliolosa 89Chlorogalum pomeridianum 77
112
YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES
Chrysothamus bloomeri 105Cirsium californicum 109Clarkia rhomboidea 92Collinsia tinctoria 101
Collinsia torreyi 101Corallorrhiza maculata 81
Delphinium decorum 84Dicentra formosa 85Dodecatheon jeffreyi 95Draperia sistyla 98
Epilobium angustifolium 91Eriogonum nudum 82Erigeron ramosus 106Eriogonum umbellatum 82Erysimum asperum 86Eschscholtzia californica 85
Eulophus bolanderi 93
Fragaria californica 87
Galium triflorum 105Gayophytum diffusum 93Gentiana holopetala 96
Geranium incisum 90Gilia aggregata 97Gilia capitata 97Godetia viminea 92
Habenaria leucostachys 80Helenium bigelovii 108
Heracleum lanatum 93Heuchera micrantha 87Hypericum formosum 90
Iris missouriensis 80
Lappula velutina 99Lessingia leptoclada 106Lilium parvum 79Lilium washingtonianum 79Lotus oblongifolius 89Lupinus confertus 89
Madia elegans 108
Mertensia ciliata 99Mimulus cardinalis 103
Mimulus guttatus 103Mimulus torreyi 103
Monardella lanceolata 100Montia perfoliata 83
Nemophila menziesii 98
Oenothera hookeri 92Orthocarpus purpurascens 104
Pedicularis groenlandica 104Pentstemon breviflorus 102Pentsmon confertus 102Pentstemon newberryi 102Phacelia heterophylla 98Phlox douglasii 97
Phyllodoce breweri 95Pirola picta 94
'"Polygonum bistortoides 81Potentilla glandulosa 88Potentilla santolinoides 88Pterospora andromeda 94
Ranunculus califomicus 85Rosa californica 88
Rudbeckia californica 107Rudbeckia hirta 107
Sarcodes sanguinea 94Sedum obtusatum 86
Senecio lugens 109Sidalcea malvaeflora 90Silene californica 83Sisyrinchium bell= 80Smilacina amplexicaulis 79Solanum xantii 100Solidago elongata 105Spiraea densiflora 87
Streptanthus tortuosus 86
Veratrum californicum 76Verbascum thapsus 101Viola adunca 91
Wyethia angustifolia 107
Zauschneria latifolia 91
Zygadenus venonosus 76
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