101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE

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 .

76


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 .

77

78


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 .


79

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 .

80


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 .


81

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 .

82


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 .


83

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 .

84


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 .


85

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 .

86


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 .


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 .

88


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 .


89

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 .

90


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 .


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 . "

92


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 .


93

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


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 .

96


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 .


97

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.

98


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 .


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 .

100


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

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


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.


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


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 .


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


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 .


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


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 .


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


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


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


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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Documents

101 WILDFLOWERS OF YOSEMITE