LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PAVXS FLOE A Yellowstone National Park. FRA N K T\Y EEDY THE LIBRARY WITHDRAWN » Cafifcnb to** * T«cta*lf FLOEA OF THE Yellowstone National Park BY FRA N K TWEEDY. WASHINGTON, D. C. : PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 1886. LIBRARY laKYSasrry of :foknja DAVTS Wm. P. Kildare, Printer, 734 & 736 Sansom St., Philadelphia, Pa. PEEFACE. In the following general notes on the flora of the Yellowstone National Park but little has been attempted beyond an enumer- ation of the Flowering Plants (Phaenogamia) and Yascular C^ptogams (Pteridophyta). The list of plants has been compiled from the following sources, neglecting a few species in the older collections, of doubtful synonymy : — A collection of 605 species made by the author in the Yellowstone National Park during August and September, 1884, and June, July, August and September, 1885. A collection made by Robert Adams, Jr., in 1871. In U. S. Geol. Surv. Montana and adjacent Terr. F. V. Hayden. Wash., 1872. By Prof. John M. Coulter in 1872, In U. S. Geol. Surv. Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah. F. V. Hayden. Wash., 1873. By Dr. C. C. Parry in 1873. In Reconnaissance of Northwestern Wyoming. Capt. W. A. Jones. Wash., 1874. By Dr. W. H. Forwood in 1881. In Report of Lieut. Gen. P. H. Sheridan of his Expedition through the Big Horn Mts., Yellowstone Park, etc. Wash., 1882. By Dr. W. H. Forwood, in 1882. In Report of an Exploration of parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, made by Lieut. Gen. P. H. Sheridan. Wash., 1882. The thanks of the author are due to Dr. Asa Gray, Sereno Watson, Wm. M. Canby, Prof. C. S. Sargent, Dr. Geo. Yasey, F. L. Scribner, M. S. Bebb, and Wm. Boott, for the determina- tion of nearly all the species of his collection. FRANK TWEEDY. Washington, D. C, April 4, 18SG. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from Microsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/floraofyellowstoOOtweerich FLOEA YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES. ♦ The Yellowstone National Park, with the exception of a narrow strip two miles wide on the north and northwest in Montana, and on the southwest in Idaho, lies in the extreme northwest corner of Wyoming. It has a length north and south of sixty-two miles, and a breadth of fifty-four miles, containing about 3350 square miles. Aside from the wonderful geyser basins and hundreds of boiling springs, but few regions can compare with it in the variety of its topographic features : — Plateaus diversified by deep canons, lakes, and ponds of the greatest beauty of outline ; mountain ranges of ever3r possible description, from the rounded massive form to those of the most rugged and precipitous character. The central and southern portion of the Park is, for the most part, with the exception of the isolated Red Mountain Range in the extreme south, a high rolling, heavily timbered country, mainly plateau from 7500-10,000 feet in altitude, the latter height being reached only on the high volcanic plateaus in the extreme southeast. In the northwest rises the Gallatin Range, culminating in Electric Peak, 11,000 feet above sea level. On the eastern border lie the rugged volcanic peaks of the Absaroka x or Yel- lowstone Range, reaching elevations of 10,800 feet on the north- 1 Abs.iroka is the Indian name of the Crow Nation, whose reservation is on the eastern slope of this range of mountains. 6 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. east, and over 11,000 feet on the southeast. The continental divide crosses the Park in its southwestern part, and is generally broad, ill-defined, and heavily timbered throughout. It has an elevation of from 8000-9500 feet, at one point but 150 feet above Yellowstone Lake. On the western slope of the divide are the tributaries of the Snake River — the Lewis Fork of the Columbia — and on the eastern those of the Missouri ; the latter including the Madison and East Gallatin on the west and northwest, the Stinkingwater, a tributary of the Big Horn, on the southeast, and the Yellow- stone River. The latter, which drains more than half (2000 sq. miles) the area of the Park, enters at the southeast corner at an elevation of 7900 feet, and flowing about northwest through Yellowstone Lake and the Grand Canon, crosses the northern boundary at an altitude of 5300 feet. Yellowstone Lake (7T40 feet), the largest lake at great elevation in North America, has a length and breadth of respectively twenty and fifteen miles; a depth of 300 feet, and an area of 150 square miles. The shore line, indented by several large bays, is over 100 miles. The beautiful curves of the sandy beaches and crystal purity of its waters, make it an object of unusual interest. With the exception of the Yellowstone Range, rising from its eastern shore, it is surrounded by a generally low, heavily timbered country. A few miles southwest on the opposite slope of the continental divide, are the little gems of Heart, Lewis, and Shoshone Lakes, varying in length from three to six miles. The Yellowstone River, from the southern boundary to the lake — fifteen miles — is a sluggish, tortuous stream, bordered by meadow and swamp two miles in width. The slopes down to the valley are bold and precipitous, the surrounding country being a high volcanic plateau of 10,000 feet altitude, and over. The spurs of the Yellowstone Range making down to the lake are heavily timbered, becoming less so towards the south. Pelican Creek, draining the south end of Mirror Lake Plateau, enters the lake near the outlet. Meadows from a half to a mile in width border the lower portion of its course. At the outlet of Yellow- stone Lake on the west abuts the heavily timbered plateau of the Elephant Back (8500 feet), which running westward a few miles, splits into two parts, one merging into the continental divide on FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 7 the southwest, and the other turning to the northward forms a narrow divide between the Madison and Yellowstone, and broadening out, again divides, one branch sweeping around to the head of the Grand Canon, and the other, much broken by lateral and transverse drainages, continuing northward nearly to the Mammoth Hot Springs. The low semicircular depression thus formed on the west bank of the Yellowstone, is known as Hayden Valley, and has formed a portion of the ancient Yellowstone Lake. It is drained mainly by Alum Creek. At the head of the Grand Canon are the Upper and Lower or Great Falls of the Yellowstone, half a mile apart; they are 108 and 309 feet in height. East of Alum Creek is the region of Sour Creek, broken by low, heavily timbered ridges, extending to Mirror Lake Plateau on the east. North of the Grand Canon is the crescent-shaped Mt. Washburne Range, the opening towards the Yellowstone River, and drained by Tower Creek. The interior slopes of this crater-like area and the rhyolite plateau along Tower Creek are densely timbered, except about Antelope Creek. Broad and Deep Creeks, which have cut deep canons in the plateau, enter the Yellowstone east of Mt. Washburne, and north of these are the slopes of Amethyst Mountain and Speci- men Ridge. The East Fork, the main branch of the Yellowstone, joins it from the east about twenty miles above where the Yellow- stone crosses the northern boundary of the Park at its junction with the Gardiner River. This portion of the main river is called the Third Canon. It has little of the well-defined walls of the Grand Canon. On the east rise precipitous granite slopes several thousand feet. On the west the country is much lower and has more of a plateau character, and here about Blacktail Deer Creek and on Mt. Evarts, are large grass-covered areas, interspersed with groves of timber, and extending, in some cases, up the northern slopes of the Mt. Washburne amphitheatre. The East Fork from its junction with the Yellowstone to Cache Creek — about sixteen miles — runs through an open grass- covered valley from l-l^ miles in width. Its main branches — Slough, Soda Butte, Cache, Calfee and Miller Creeks, flow from the east, draining the Yellowstone Range. On the west it receives numerous small drainages from Specimen Ridge and the Mirror Lake Plateau. On both sides, as far as Cache Creek and above 8 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. it for a few miles on the east, the adjacent slopes are only par- tially forest-covered. Above Cache Creek the East Fork runs in a well-timbered caiion. The short streams from the Mirror Lake Plateau head in beautiful little grassy parks often of a hundred acres in extent. The valleys of the main stream and its principal tributaries, Slough and Soda Butte Creeks, are low within the boundaries of the Park, ranging in altitude from 6800-7500 feet, but the immediate slopes in the northeastern portion rise precipitously to ragged and bare peaks and ridges 10,000-10,800 feet in altitude. North of Slough Creek is an area of high, sparsely-timbered plateau. On the Gardiner River, four miles south of the northern boundary, is located the terraced group of the Mammoth Hot Springs. About here, and nearly around Swan Lake and Indian Creek, are large open grass- covered areas. The slopes of the Gallatin Range are well clothed with forest up to the timber line, which in the Park varies from 9400-9700 feet. The tops of the long ridges sloping westward are in some cases bare. From the Gallatin Range southward along the western border of the Park extends the Madison Plateau. Its southern limit is the Pitchstone Plateau (8700 ft.), at the base of which on the north and east lie Shoshone and Lewis Lakes. The very flat top of the plateau is more than half covered with grassy parks, but the sides are densely timbered. To the westward it slopes down to the low open swamp}' area of the Falls River Basin in the extreme southwest corner of the Park. On the Madison Plateau, as elsewhere throughout the region, are scattered small, open parks and meadows, but taken as a whole, it is heavily timbered, and is cut by numerous dry rocky canons. It has an average altitude of about 8500 feet, and from Shoshone Lake it is traversed in a northwesterly direction by the continental divide. At the foot of the abrupt eastern slope of this plateau lie the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins in a wilderness of forest. The Fire-hole River draining these areas, flowing northward, meets the Gibbon River from the northeast, the latter draining the Norris Geyser Basin, and heading on the plateau northwest of the Washburne Range. These two streams uniting form the Madison, which, in its course westward, has cut a gorge nearly 2000 feet deep through the Madison Plateau. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 9 Within the Park the Madison River has a drainage area of about 700 square miles. The region of the Yellowstone Park has been the scene of great volcanic activity, the rocks being mainly of igneous origin with the exception of the Gallatin Range, which is in a great part sedimentary. The plateaus have been formed by great lava flows, principally rhyolite. The rugged Yellowstone Range is mainly composed of volcanic breccias and conglomer- ates. The principal geyser areas are those of the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins, Norris Geyser Basin, Shoshone Lake Geyser Basin and the Heart Lake Geyser Basin. Hundreds of boiling springs are scattered over the whole region and have formed extensive deposits, mainly calcareous, while those of the« geysers are a form of silica called ge3'serite. The great quanti- ties of silicified wood and size of many of the specimens would lead us to suppose that the ancient forests were of much greater magnificence than at present. The wonders of the Yellowstone have been so often described that the above brief sketch will be sufficient for a comparison of the flora with the principal topo- graphic features. The Yellowstone Park, like most mountain regions where terrestrial radiation is great, has during the summer months great extremes of diurnal temperature, although the day tem- perature is low, not generally above 75° Fahr. Frequent summer frosts are a characteristic feature. This coolness of climate, coupled with a high relative humidity, that is, for the Rocky Mountain region, accounts for the fact of its being densely timbered. A copious rain-fall is shown in marsh, spring, stream and lake. From observations taken at Yellowstone Lake (7740 feet) from July 15 to August 15, 1885, we obtain the following : Average of readings of minimum thermometer, which practically is the temperature at sunrise, 29*7 ; average of 2 P. M. readings, 65*6 ; average of readings of maximum thermometer from August 1 to August. 15, 68*3. The greatest recorded temperature was 78°, and the lowest 22°. The grow- ing season over the main area of the Park is from about May 1st to Sept. 1st. The lower and dryer portions up to 7000 feet are in their greenest garb about July 1st, and the subalpine and alpine regions early in August. When in vigorous growth, 10 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. vegetation does not seem to be affected in the least by a tem- perature of 10° below freezing, but a little later in the season its effects are apparent, when the plants have lost much of their vitality. The change from the luxuriance of August to the decay of September is abrupt. Generally by Sept. 15th snow has fallen to lie upon the ground for a day or two. FORESTS. The Yellowstone Park lies in the Rocky Mountain belt of coniferous forests, geographically termed the Interior Pacific, and which trending northwestward, unites in northern Washing- ton Territory with that of the Pacific coast, forming a broad belt which still farther north in British America merges into the northwest extension of the Atlantic forest. The common and most wide-spread tree of the Park is the Black Pine, Pinus Murrayana, Balf. (P. contorta, Dough, var. Murrayana, Engelm.). It is the only tree forming extensive forests to the exclusion of other species. It reaches its greatest development on the dr}rer plateaus between 7000 and 8000 feet, here forming 90 per cent, of the forest. It is not generally over two feet in diameter, with a height of 60-100 feet, and is found from the lowest alti- tudes up to 9500 feet. Over the lower and dryer portions it is found with the Red Fir (Pseudotsuga Douglasii, Carr), and in higher and moist situations with more or less Picea and Abies. It is the only tree here that seems to be able to reproduce itself to any extent after having been destroyed by fire, doubt- less owing to the protection afforded the seeds by the hard and indestructible cones. In many burnt districts an almost impen- etrable growth of young trees have sprung up. Probably 65 per cent, of the whole forest area is composed of the Black Pine. Pinus flexilis, James, generally occupies the dry gravelly ridges from 7500 feet upward, especially above 8000 feet. At low elevations it grows with the Black Pine and higher with Picea and Abies. It is found as low as 6000 feet at the Mam- moth Hot Springs^ with Juniperus Virginiana, these two species forming exclusively the timbered portion of the formation. Pinus albicaulis, Englm. (P. flexilis,x$.Y. albicaulis, Englm.), FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 11 is found associated with P. flexilis, but ranges higher, being found scattered or in bunches on rocky and exposed ridges and summits at the upper limit of tree growth. It has been observed as low as 7500 feet mingled with Pseudotsuga and Pinus Murray- ana, but always in such situations with P. flexilis. Although apparently common throughout the Park, it has not before been distinguished from the allied P. flexilis. At a distance they closely resemble each other in general habit, except for a bunched or fox-tail appearance of the leaves of the former. Prof. Sargent says, that at Old Marias Pass in northwest Montana, heretofore the most eastern station known, P. albicaulis is readily distinguished from P. flexilis by the milk-white bark ; but this characteristic which the author has also observed in Washington Territory, is nearly wanting in the Park. The chief points of difference lie in the cones ; those of P. albicaulis when young are brown-purple, not green, with much thicker scales. We have observed throughout the Park that the cones of P. albicaulis, with hardly an exception, fall to pieces soon after maturity, probably due, as Prof. Sargent suggests, to the work of squirrels, so that a perfect cone is rarely found upon the ground, while those of P. flexilis remain intact. The leaves of the former are also shorter and stouter. The largest specimen seen was 5 feet in diameter and 60 feet in height, on Bison Peak, at an elevation of 9200 feet. These two pines form nearly 10 per cent, of the forest area. Although the Yellow Pine, Pinus ponderosa, Dough, var, scopulorum, Engelm. (the Rocky Mountain variety), occurs on all sides of the Park, it has not been detected within the. borders, although it would naturally be expected about some of the low dry open areas. The greater portion of the region has too great an altitude and rain-fall. The Douglas or Red Fir {Pseudotsuga Douglasii, Carr) is found up to 9000 feet, generally scattered over the dryer grassy ridges and slopes. Rarely it occupies exclusively small areas. The slope immediately west of the Mammoth Hot Springs for 700 feet upward is covered with this species alone. The largest trees observed had a diameter of 5 feet, bft generally were stunted and more or less decayed. The Balsam {Abies subalpina, Engelm.) ranks next to the 12 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Black Pine in amount and distribution. It is found throughout in cool, moist situations, at low elevations on the northern slopes, and especially common on wet subalpine slopes and plateaus about the timber line, forming groves in the park-like openings. Moist plateaus above 8000 feet and the slopes and bottoms of deep canons are forests of this species and Picea Engelmanni, these two trees forming at least 25 per cent, of the forest area of the Park. The Spruce {Picea Engelmanni, Engelm.) is associated with the Balsam. It is not of great size, rarely more than 2 or 3 feet in diameter, and does not form extensive forests as in the central Rocky Mountain region, and still farther northward in the mountain region of Montana becomes rare and of small size. Picea alba, Link, which occurs in the Black Hills of Dakota and in northern Montana, reaching its greatest development in the Flathead Region, probably does not occur within the Park, although some of the cones of Picea Engelmanni show a transi- tion into P. alba. This fact is suggestive, occurring, as it does, in a region between that of the greatest development of P. Engelmanni on the south, and P. alba on the north ; although in northwest Montana, where both species occur, Prof. Sargent has observed the same fact, but they are found u at different elevations in different soils and never mingle." Picea pungens, Engelm., doubtless does not enter into the Park forests. Specimens collected under the name of Abies Menziesii, Lindl., are probably forms of Picea Engelmanni. The Red Cedar (Juniperus Virginiana, L.) grows along the Gardiner River, a few miles above the mouth and mingled with Finns flexilis over the formation of the Mammoth Hot Springs. It is rare elsewhere. Juniperus communis, L., var. alpina, Gaud, occurs sparingly on rocky slopes at low elevations and more frequently about the hot spring areas. On the moist slopes and along the streams of the lower grass-covered areas are frequently groves of Popu- lus tremuloides, Michx. (Aspen). It was observed sparingly above 8000 feet. Populus augustifolia, James, was only seen on Cache Creek. • Of the shrubs that are common throughout may be mentioned, Betula glandulosa, Michx. ; Salix desertorum, Rich., var. Wolfii, FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 13 Bebb, and a form of Salix glauca, L., and the following rather rare and local species : Salix longifolia, Muhl. ; Betula occi- dentalism Hook; Alnus viridis, D. C; A. incana, Willd., var. virescens, Wats.; Prunus demissa, Walpers. ; Pyrus sambucifolia, Cham, and Schlecht ; Amelanchier alnifoh a, Nutt. ; Ceanothus velutinus, Dougl. ; Rhamnus alnifolia, L'Her. The timber trees of the region, with the exception of the widespread Populus tremuloides and Juniperus Virginiana, are western species, but several of the shrubs range across the continent. The Park has suffered at various times from the ravages of lire. There is probably 100 square miles of burnt forest. Over a large portion of the region will be found masses of fallen timber in the green and standing forest, principally in that of Abies and Picea. There are some areas of considerable extent which are not forest covered, and at lower elevations covered with a luxuriant growth of grass and more or less sage-brush. The most exten- sive of these are in the northeast portion, in the vicinity of the Mammoth Hot Springs, about the mouth of the East Fork, and along this stream. The former, including the greater portion of the region of Mt. Evarts, Blacktail Deer Creek, Swan Lake and the upper West Gardiner, and generally covered with local drift, has an area of forty square miles, and is the southern extension of the dry timberless region of the valley of the Yellowstone. This with some interruptions extends to the East Fork. The latter comprising the valley of the East Fork to Cache Creek and the slopes on each side ; the northern portion of Specimen Ridge and across the Yellowstone River about Antelope Creek has an area of fifty square miles, twenty of this belonging to the valley of the East Fork. Besides these are Hayden Valley, eighteen square miles ; Upper and Lower Geyser Basins and East Fire-hole River, fifteen square miles ; Pitchstone Plateau, Madi- son Plateau, and Falls River Basin, forty square miles ; Valley of the Upper Yellowstone, thirty square miles, and tops of the subalpine and alpine plateaus, the slopes of wfcich are densely timbered, along the Upper Yellowstone thirty square miles. Add to these about eighty square miles for all minor areas, 14 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. parks, meadows, regions above timber line, etc., and 180 square miles for lakes and ponds, we will have a total of 483 square miles, or about 14 per cent, of the area of the Park. We can there- fore safely say that 86 per cent, of it is forest covered. GENERAL FLORA OF THE REGION. The flora of the Yellowstone Park, taken as a whole, is essen- tially that of a mountain region, although at some points on its borders and along the low-lying dryer valleys of the main streams are found a number of species which belong to the flora of the plains or more arid regions. The flora of the portion from 6000-8000 feet alt., which is mainly that of the larger open areas, has pretty much the same character. Clematis Douglasii, Hook.; Silene Douglasii, Hook. ; Cerastiam arvense, L. ; Are- naria congesta, Nutt., var. subcongesta, Wats. ; Geum triflorum, Pursh. ; Carum Gairdneri, Benth and Hook. ; Galium boreale, L. ; Balsamorrhiza sagittata, Nutt. ; Helianthella Douglasii, T. and G. ; Achillea millefolium, L. ; Cnicus Drummondii, Gray ; Troximon glaucum, Nutt. ; Campanula rotundifolia, L. ; Col- linsia parviflora, Dougl., and Eriogonum umbellatum, Torr, will be met with almost everywhere, and perhaps not so generally distributed Lupinus serious, Pursh. ; several species of Astragalus (A. alpinus, L. ; A. multiflorus, Gray ; A. campestris, Gray) ; Solidago Missouriensis, Nutt., and S. canadensis, L. ; Aster integrifolius, Nutt., and Frasera speciosa, Dougl. Two species of Phlox, (P. canescens, T. and G.; P. Douglasii, Hook., var. longifolia, Gray), and Penstemon (P. confertus, Dougl., var. cseruleo-purpureus, Gray; P. glaber, Pursh.). Of the eight species of Artemisia found within the Park but three {A. frigida, Willd.; A. tridentata, Nutt.; A. cana, Pursh.), are common, the two latter being the predominant species of the limited sage- brush areas. Above 8000 feet will be found several Asters {A. foliaceus, Lindl. ; A. Engelmanni, Gray ; A. elegans, T. and G.), and Erigerons (E. salsuginosus, Gray; E. macranthus, Nutt.), and along the timber Geranium incisum, Nutt., and G. Bichard- sonii, Fisch. and Meyer. Scattered through the open woods will be seen Arnica cordifolia, Hook. ; A. latifolia, Bong. ; Hiera- FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 15 cium gracile, Hook.; H. albiflorum, Hook., and Pedicularis racemosa, Dougl. In the dense and dry pine woods of much of the plateau region there is very little vegetation except the diminutive blueberry, Vaccinium myrtillus, L., var. microphyllum, Hook., which often occurs in vast quantities. The berries are always light red, and not " at first light red," as often described. It bears but little fruit in the Park region, and the same fact was observed with regard to the strawberry and bearberry, Frageria vesca, L., and Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi, Spreng. Early in August the natural flower gardens of the subalpine slopes are in all their splendor of coloring. Scarlet and crim- son Castilleiae vie with blue and purple lupines, forget-me-nots, asters, erigerons and carpet-like masses of snow-white phlox. Mingled with these are golden yellow and orange flowers of every shade, Sedum, Potentilla, Ivesia, Helianthella and Aplopappus. As most of the species which cross the continent do so on the north it is not surprising to find so many as we do in the flora of the Park. The flora of the northern Rocky Mountains has many points in common with that of the Cascade Mountains ; in fact above latitude 48° it is difficult to determine the limit between what belongs to one and what to the other. Southward the two floras become very distinct. We find some stragglers from the Pacific flora entering the Park, probably all by way of the northwest. Pinus albicaulis, Engelm., is a notable instance in the case of a forest tree, and besides this are the following: Trautvettaria grandis,^ utt. ; Ranunculus ornithorhyncus, Hook. ; Antennaria flagellaris, Gray ; Erigeron peucephyllus, Gray ; Hulsea nana, Gray, and Oryzopsis exigua, Thurb. The local Subularia aquatica, L., whose next eastern stations are lakes in Maine and New Hampshire, is common about Yel- lowstone Lake. Myosurus apetalus, Gay, var. lepturus, Gray ; Mimulus monti- oides, Gray, and Nemophila breviflora, Gray, come from the southwest, and Cnicus Hookerianus, Gray, from the Rocky Mountains further north. The nearest known localities for Eriophorum russeolum, Fries, are Hudson's Bay and Alaska. 16 , FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. We also find Elatine triandra, Schkuhr., and Floerkea proser- pinacoides, Willd. The genus Arnica is well represented in the Park, all the seven species of the Rocky Mountains between New Mexico and the British boundary have been found. Of Arabis, six out of eight species, half of the dozen or so species of Ribes, and eight of the ten species of Epilobium. All the species of the following genera have been collected, Lonicera (4), Veronica (6), Eabenaria (4), and Luzula (4). The order Composite, which in North America comprises an eighth of Phsenogamous Plants, in the limited area of the Park has, as far as known, 38 genera and 108 species, or about one-sixth of tire whole. The ferns are meagrely repre- sented by only six species, and these for the most part are rare and local. ALPINE FLORA. As far as observed the alpine flora of the Park contains about the same proportion of arctic species as that of the whole Rocky Mountain region within the United States. In the latter case out of about 190 species, 55 per cent, belong to the arctic flora. In other words, this alpine flora, like that of the whole temperate zone in the northern hemisphere, is a southern extension of arctic vegetation. The appearance of these arctic forms is looked for in the general refrigeration which brought on the glacial period. Pushed southward by the extreme cold, and then, as the climate moderated, retreating northward, following the receding glaciers, they were left stranded on the mountain summits, and finding a congenial home, have there persisted. In the list of the alpine flora given below, those which are arctic are marked thus (*). It will be seen that the Rocky Mountain arctic alpine flora is pretty well represented, considering the limited area under consideration, with the exception of the Gentians, which are entirely wanting as far as observed. Ranunculus nivalis, L., var. Eschscholtzii, Watson. *Draba alpina, L. Draba crassifolia, Graham. Draba aurea, Vahl. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 17 *Smelowskia calycina, C. A. Meyer. * Thlaspi alpestre, L. *Silene acaulis, L. *Arenaria verna, L., var. hirta, Wats. * Arenaria biflora, var. obtusa, Wats. *Arenaria stricta, Wats. Sagina Linnasi, Presl. Calandrinia pygmaea, Gray. Trifolium Parryi, Gray. * Astragalus alpinus, L. *Dryas octopetala, L. Ivesia Gordoni, Torr and Gray. *Sibbaldia procumbens, L. Saxifraga Jamesii, Torr. *Saxifraga oppositifolia, L. * Saxifraga caespitosa, Jj. * Saxifraga rivularis, L. * Saxifraga nivalis, L. * Saxifraga punctata, L. Sedum rhodanthum, Gray. * Epilobium latifolium, L. Aplopappus Lyallii, Gray. *Erigeron uniflorus, L. Erigeron ursinus, Eaton. Erigeron radicatus, Hook. *Antennaria alpina, Gaertn. Artemisia scopulorum, Gray. Senecio Fremonti, Torr and Gray. Hulsea nana, Gray. * Taraxacum officinale, Weber, var. scopulorum, Gray. Bryanthus empetriformis, Gray. Douglasia montana, Gray. Polemonium confertum, Gray. * Polemonium humile, Willd., var. pulchellum, Gray. * Omphalodes nana, Gray, var. aretioides, Gray. Mertensia alpina, Don. * Veronica alpina, L. * Castilleia pallida , Kunth, var. scptentrionalis, Gray. Penstemon Menziesii, Hook. 18 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Pedicularis Parryi, Gray. Pedicularis scopulorum, Gray. Pedicularis Grcenlandica, Retz. *Oxyria digyna, Campdera. * Polygonum viviparum, L. *Salix arctica, R. Br., var. petr&a, Anders. *Salix reticulata, L. Habenaria obtusata, Richardson. *Lloydia serotina, Reich. *Luzula spicata, Desv. Juncus Drummondii, E. Meyer. Juncus Parryi, Engelm. Gar ex scirpoidea, Michx. Car ex concinna, R. Br. * Carex rigida, Good. * Carex atrata, L. * Carex alpina, Swartz. *Festuca ovina, L., var. brevifolia, Wats. *? Alopecurus occidentalism Scribn. *Pleum alpinum, L. * Trisetum subspicatum, Beauv. *? Poa reflexa, V. and S. *Poa alpina, L. FLORA OF THE BOGS, PONDS AND STREAMS. From the plateau nature of a great portion of the Park, the water from the great accumulations of snow drains off slowly, and in consequence bogs are scattered over the whole region, which in their saturated condition are mostly impassable before July 1st. The bog and wet meadow flora from about 7500-9000 feet is luxuriant and of a generally uniform character. There are several species of Stellaria (S. umbellata, Turcz. ; S. longipes, Goldie ; S. borealis, Bigelow) ; Saxifraga (S. punctata, L. ; S. integrifolia, Hook); Valeriana ( V. edulis, Nutt. ; V. sylvatica, Banks) ; Potentilla (P. dissecta, Pursh ; P. gracilis, Dongl. ; P. fruticosa, L.) ; Senecio (S. triangularis, Hook ; S. crassulus, Gray ; S. lugens, Rich.) ; Polygonum (P. Bistorta, L. ; P. vivi- FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 19 parum, L.) ; Habenaria (H. hyperborea, R. Br. ; H. dilatata, Gray) ; and Allium {A. Schcenoprasum, L. ; A. brevistylum, Wats.). Among other characteristic species are Trifolium longipes, Nutt. ; Pedicularis Grcenlandica, Retz. ; Rumex pauci- folius, Nutt., and Zygadenus elegans, Pursh. Here, as elsewhere, especially over the hot spring and geyser areas, the small streams are bordered with Parnassia fimbriata, Banks ; Gen- tiana serrata, Gunner, and Mimulus luteus, L. Among the water plants of the Park we find a few of which the Rocky Mountain region is the eastern or western limit, but by far the greater portion, at least 70 per cent, of the species, extend across the continent. Water plants, from the more uniform nature of their surroundings in water, which also is an important factor in their distribution, would naturally have a more extensive range than land plants, which over a large area would be subjected to great differences in soil and climate. Of this flora of the ponds and streams we find Ranunculus aquatilus, L., var. trichophyllus, Chaix., almost everywhere, and R. multifidus, Pursh., more rarely about Yellowstone Lake. Nuphar advena, Ait., is rarely absent from muddy ponds and sluggish streams, and frequently associated with great quantities of Hippuris vulgaris, L., and Geratophyllum demersum, L. ; Nuphar polysepalum, Engelm., was collected only in the Gibbon Lakes. Sparganium simplex, Huds., var. angustifolium, Engelm. ; Sagittaria variabilis, Engelm., and Utricularia vul- garis, L., though frequent, are rarely seen in flower or fruit. Of the three Lemnas (L. trisulca, L. ; L. minor, L. ; L. gibba, L.), the two former are extremely abundant in many localities. Several Potamogetons (P. rufescens, Schad. ; P. gramineus, L., var. maximus ; P. perfoliatus, L. ; P. pectinatus, L., and var. lati- folius, Robbins), are common throughout in the lakes and streams. Subularia aquatica, L., and Isoetes Bolanderi, Engelm., are found on the bottom of ponds about Yellowstone Lake, the latter species being pretty generally distributed over the region. What is apparently the rare and local Isoetes pygmaea, Engelm., has been found at Yellowstone Lake. Callitriche autumnalis, L., is abundant, and less so G. verna, L. Besides these may be mentioned Zanichellia palustris, L. ; Ruppia maritima, L. ; Marsilia vestita, Hook and Grev. ; Myriophyllum verticillatum, 20 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. L., and Polygonum amphibium, L. At the outlet of Yellowstone Lake is a small pond a few feet in depth and several acres in extent, which is remarkable for containing a great number of the rare and local species of the region. On the bottom and submerged grow Subularia aquatica, L. ; Elatine triandra, Schkuhr. ; Iaoetes Bolanderi, Engelm., and Callitriche autum- nalis, L. Floating on the surface are Ranunculus multifidus, . Pursh. ; Polygonum amphibium, L. ; Sagittaria, Sparganium, several Lemnas and Potamogetons. In the mud at the water's edge were collected Elatine Americana, Am. ; Tillsea angusti- folia, Nutt. ; Krynitzkia Calif ornica, Gray, and Limosella aquatica, L. FLORA OF THE HOT SPRINGS AND GEYSER AREAS. The alkaline nature of the soil and artificial warmth of the hot spring and geyser areas have created a flora in many respects peculiar to itself. In the list given below those species marked (*) have not been observed, with a very few exceptions, on other than hot spring soil. It will be seen that there are a number normal on our sea coasts, and more or less in saline situations in the interior, such as Salicorma herbacea, L.; Rumex maritimus, L., and Triglochin maritimum, L., and others which belong to the flora of a lower and more arid region. The bleak formations proper support but a scanty vegetation, but where overlaid with soil on its borders, and around less active rents, and especially along the hot streams, there will be found a most luxuriant vege- tation. The most characteristic species are Chrysopsis villosa, Nutt.; Gnaphalium Sprengelii, Hook and Arm; Triglochin mari- timum, L., and a grass Panicum dichotomum, L., var. pubescens. The latter frequently covers the ground with a dense velvet carpet, glistening with crystal drops of condensed steam. Ruppia maritima has been observed in situations where the water had a temperature of 90° Fahr. The small streams are filled with Potamogeton pectinatus, L., and frequently with vast quantities of Lemna. Botrychium ternatum, Swartz, var. australe, Eaton, has never FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL TARK. 21 been observed out of hot spring soil. Spraguea umbellata, Torr, finds a congenial home on the bare ge3'serite, and in the same case though more local are Aplopappus uniflorus, Torr and Gray; Mimulus namus, Hook and Arm; Gastilleia minor, Gray ; Orthocarpus luteus, Nutt., and Glyceria airoides, Thurb. Spraguea umbellata, Torr. * Ghrysopsis villosa, Nutt. * Aplopappus uniflorus, Torr and Gray. Ghsenactis Douglasii, Hook and Arn. *Gnaphalium Sprengelii, Hook and Arn. Senecio canus, Hook. Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi, Spreng. * Mimulus nanus. Hook and Arn. * Castilleia minor, Gray. * Orthocarpus luteus, Nutt. *Lycopus Virginicus, L., var. pauciflorus, Benth. *Brunella vulgaris, L. Chenopodium glaucum, L. Chenopodium capitatum, Wats. Monolepis chenopodioides, Moq. * Salicornia herbacea, L. * Eriogonum flavum, Nutt. * Rumex maritimus, L. Euphorbia serpyllifolia, Pers. *Juncus tenuis, Willd., var. congestus, Englm. *Ruppia maritima, L. Potamogeton pectinatus, L. * Trilochin maritimum, L. Eleocharis palustris, R. Br. Eleocharis olivacea, Torr. *Panicum dichotomum, L., var. pubescens. *Spartina gracilis, Trim * Glyceria airoides, Thurb. Juniperus communis, L., var. alpina, Gaud. * Botrychium ternatum, Swartz, var. australe, Eaton. Pteris aquilina, L. 22 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. THE GRASSES. The open areas of the Park, up to 9000 feet alt., are covered with a luxuriant growth of the most nutritious grasses, the pre- dominant species being mainly those known as " bunch grasses." None of the so-called " buffalo " or " grama grasses," Buckloe, Bouteloua, etc., are found. In all about seventy species are known, but only about half of these enter to any extent into the composition of the grass areas. Over the dryer portions, up to 7000 feet alt., the following are the common forms, and of these the Stipas, Agropyrums and Poa tenuifolia form at least 80 per cent. Stipa viridula, Trin. Stipa comata, Trin. and Rupr. Agrostis scabra, Willd. Koeleria cristata, Pers. Melica spectabile, Scribn. Poa tenuifolia, Buckl. Bromus breviaristatus, Buckl. Agropyrum divergens, Nees. Agropyrum caninum, L. Elymus Sitanion, Schultz. At still higher altitudes, or in more moist situations, will be added Deyeuxia Canadensis, Beauv.; D. neglecta, Kunth.; Trise- tum subspicatum, Beauv.; var. molle, Gray ^ Poa Nevadensis, Vasey ; P. memoralis, L.; Bromus Kalmii, Gray; B. ciliatus, L.; Deschampsia caespitosa, Beauv. The characteristic species of moist meadows and bogs is Poa Nevadensis in various forms. Gradually many of the common species of the lower and dryer areas disappearing being replaced by others until at about 8500 feet alt. we find an abundant, but in many respects, quite distinct flora, beyond which point there is a decrease both in luxuriance and number of species. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 23 In the moist meadows between 8000 and 9000 feet alt., the following will be found, including several Arctic forms : — Hierochloa borealis, R. and S. Alopecurus occidentalism Scribn. Phleum alpinum, L. Agrostis humilis, Vasey. Deyeuxia Canadensis, Beauv. Deyeuxia Langsdorfii, Kunth. Trisetum subspicatum, R. Br., var. molle, Gray. Poa reflexa, V. and S. Poa nemoralis, L. Poa Nevadensis, Yasey. Poa alpina, L. Poa tenuifolia, Buckl. Festuca ovina, L. Hordeum nodosum, L. As far as observed the only strictly alpine species are Agro- pyrum Scribneri, Vasey, and Festuca ovina, L., var. brevifolia, Wats., although several of the Poas and others, Poa alpina, P. reflexa, and forms of P. tenuifolia are found above the timber line on exposed ridges and summits. Here, as elsewhere in the northwest, one is struck by the great development of the genus Poa, of which at least a dozen species grow within the Park. The great variety of forms are puzzling in the extreme. CATALOGUE. PH^ENOGAMIA (Flowering Plants). BANUNCULACEJB. Clematis Douglasii, Hook. Grassy slopes, 6500-8000 ft. alt. Common, especially in the noitheni portion of the park. Clematis verticillaris, DC. Open woods. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6400 ft. alt. Rare. Anemone patens, L., var. Nuttalliana, Gray. Mt. Washburne, 9200 ft. alt. ; East Fork of the Yellowstone, 6200 ft. alt. Rare. Anemone multifida, Poir. Swan Lake, 7400 ft. alt. ; Mt. Washburne, 9300 feet ; Cache Creek, 6900 ft. alt. Common. Thalictrum Fendleri, Engelm. Antelope Creek, 8000 ft. alt. ; Red Mountain, 9600 ft. alt. (Coulter). Trautvettaria grandis, Nutt. Pine woods, Lewis Lake, 7C00 ft. alt. Rare. # Myosurus apetalus, Gay, var. lepturus, Gray {M. ariskdus, Benth.), Gray, in Torr. Bull., xiii, i, p. 2. Dry benches along East Fork of the Yellowstone, 6600 ft. alt. Rare. Ranunculus aquatilis, var. trichophyllus, Chaix. Common in streams and ponds up to 8000 ft. alt. Ranunculus Flammula, L., var. reptans, Gray. Indian Creek, 7800 ft. alt. ; Mirror Lake Plateau, 8700 ft. alt. ; Mud Springs (Adams). (24) FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL TARK. 25 Kanunculus cymbalaria, Pursh. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6300 ft. alt. ; Lower Geyser Basin, 7100 ft. alt. Ranunculus glaberrimus, Hook. Swan Lake, 7600 ft. alt. ; High slopes, Slough Creek, 9100 ft. alt. Ranunculus nivalis, L., var. Eschscholtzii, Wats. Fawn Creek, 7400 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Coulter). A Ranunculus (909) and the same as Parry's No. 8, Stinkingwatcr, was collected in flower on Baronett Ridge, 9500 ft. alt., about snow banks, probably distinct from the above, and which Dr. Gray says may prove to be a new species. Ranunculus sceleratus, L. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. Infrequent. Ranunculus affinis, It. Br. Subalpine wet slopes. Mt. Holmes, 9300 ft. alt. (dwarf form, fls. an inch in diameter.) Mammoth Hot Springs, 6400 ft. alt. (tall form with small fls., near var. leiocarpus, Trautv.). Ranunculus Nelsoni, Gray. Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Ranunculus orthorhyncus, Hook. Bogs. Mammoth Hot Springs. Rare. Ranunculus repens, L. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. ; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Ranunculus multifidus, Pursh. Ponds. Outlet of Yellowstone Lake and Stevenson Island. Rare. Caltha leptosepala, DC. High bogs. Slough Creek, 9000 ft. alt. ; Pebble Creek, 9200 ft. alt. ; Upper Falls of tMfe Yellowstone (Adams). Rather common. Trallius laxus, Salisb., var. albiflorus, Gray. Wooded bogs. Swan Lake, 7400 ft. alt. ; Buffalo Creek, with Caltha leptosepala, 9000 ft. alt. ; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Aquilegia ccerulea, James. Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Aquilegia flavescens, Watson. Mt. Washburne, 8500 ft. alt. ; Blacktail Deer Creek, 7600 ft. alt. ; Mud Springs (Adams); Yellowstone Lake (Coulter). Common. 26 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Delphinium Menziesii, DC. Wet meadows. Mirror Lake Plateau, 9000 ft. alt. ; Soda Butte, 6900 ft. alt. Rather rare. Delphinium hicolor, Nutt. Dry benches at low elevations. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. ; East Fork of the Yellowstone, 6000 ft. alt. Delphinium scopulorum, Gray. Bogs and along mountain streams, 8000-9500 ft. alt. Sometimes 6 feet in height. Common. Aoonitum Columbianum, Nutt. (A. nasutum, Hook). Rather common in bogs and along mountain streams. Indian Creek, 8000 feet ; East Pelican Creek, 8800 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Coulter, Adams). Actaea spicata, L., var. arguta, Torr. Damp woods. Pebble Creek, 8000 ft. alt ; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Rare. BERBERIDACE^J. Berberis repens, Lindl. Amethyst Creek, 6700 ft. alt. ; Sulphur Hills, 7700 ft. alt. ; Lower Geyser Basin (Coulter). Frequent. NYMPHJSACE^l. Nuphar advena, Ait. Abundant in ponds and sluggish streams up to 8500 ft. alt. Nuphar polysepalum, Engelm. Ponds head of Gibbon River, 8000 ft. alt. Rare. FUMARIACEJB. Corydalis aurea, Willd., var. occidentalis, Engelm. Soda Butte Creek, 8000 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Coulter). Rather rare. CRUCIPER^I. Draba crassifolia, Graham. Mt. Holmes, 9200 ft. alt. ; Mt. Washburne, 10,000 ft. alt. Draba alpina, L. Mt. Washburne, 9800 ft. alt. ; Stinkingwater Pass (Parry). Draba alpina, L», var. glacialis, Dickie. Mammoth Hot Springs, 7000 ft. alt. ; Sepulchre Mt., 8600 ft. alt. ; Mt. Doane, 10,000 feet (Adams). FLORA OP THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 2*7 Draba nemorosa, L. Mammoth Hot Springs ; Slough Creek, 1800 ft. alt. Frequent. Draba nemorosa, L., var. leiocarpa, Lindb. Yellowstone Lake and Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Draba nemorosa, L., var. hebecarpa, Lindb. Cache Creek, 7900 ft. alt. ; Swan Lake, 7400 ft. alt. Draba aurea, Vahl. Soda Butte Creek, 7400 ft. alt. Rare. Cardamine cordifolia, Gray. Bogs. Indian Creek, 8000 ft. alt. Cardamine Breweri, Watson. Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Cardamine hirsuta, L. Yellowstone Lake (Coulter) ; Mirror Lake Plateau, 9000 ft. alt. Small forms, 2-4 inches high. Arabis perfoliata, Lam. Gardiner River, 5500 ft. alt. ; Slough Creek, 0800 ft. alt. Infrequent. Arabis hirsuta, Scop. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6300 ft. alt. ; Gardiner River, 5400 ft. alt. Frequent. Arabis spatbulata, Nutt. Grassy hills. Fawn Creek, 8000 ft. alt. Rare. Arabis Drummondii, Gray. Mt. Washbume, 8400 ft. alt. ; Stinkingwater Pass (Parry) ; Yellow- stone Lake (Adams). Arabis Lyallii, Watson. Mt. Washbume, 9800 ft. alt. ; Rocks, Slough Creek, 7000 ft. alt. ; Mt. Doane (Adams). Arabis Holboellii, Hornem. Gardiner River, 56C0 ft. alt. ; Shoshone Lake (Coulter). Not common. Thelypodium integrifolium, Endl. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. ; Hot Sulphur Springs (Adams). 28 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Thelypodium sagittatum, Endl. Meadows. West Pelican Creek, 8000 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Coulter). Rare. Erysimum asperum, DC, var. inconspicuum, Wats. Dry bench lands. East Fork of the Yellowstone, C500 ft. alt. ; Slough Creek, 6800 feet. Barbarea vulgaris, It. Br. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6100 ft. alt. ; Blacktail Deer Creek, 7200 ft. alt. Rare. Sisymbrium canescens, Nutt. Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Sisymbrium incisum, Engelm. Dry bench lands. Common. Smelowskia calycina, C. A. Meyer. Common on alpine summits. Mt. Holmes, 10,000 ft. alt.; Mt. Wash- burne, 8800 ft. alt.; Saddle Mt., 9800 ft. alt.; Stinkingwater Pass (Parry). Nasturtium obtusum, Nutt. Indian Creek, 8000 ft. alt.; Lower Falls of the Yellowstone (Coulter). Nasturtium curvisiliqua, Nutt., var. lyratum, Watson. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6800 ft. alt.; Mirror Lake Plateau, 8900 ft. alt., Yellowstone (Parry), Subularia aquatica, L. Growing submerged in ponds at the foot of Yellowstone Lake. " In great abundance at head of Yellowstone Lake" (Parry); Yellowstone Lake (Forwood). Thlaspi alpestre, L. Indian Creek, 8200 ft. alt. Lepidium intermedium, Gray. Common in the dryer valleys. Physaria didymocarpa, Gray. Mammoth Hot Springs. Rare. VIOLACE^I. Viola blanda, Willd. Wet meadows, Buffalo Creek, 8600 ft. alt. Rare. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 29 Viola canina, L., var. rupestris, Kegel. Rather common in meadows from 6000-8000 ft. alt.; Slough Creek, 7700 ft. alt.; Swan Lake, 7500 ft. alt.; Pelican Creek, 8200 ft. alt. Viola Canadensis, L. Soda Butte Creek, 8200 ft. alt. Rare. Viola Nuttallii, Pursh. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6400 ft. alt. Rare. C ARYOPH YLL A.CE JE. Silene Douglasii, Hook. Grassy slopes, 7600-9000 ft. alt. Common. Silene acaulis, L. Rather common on alpine summits. Mt. Holmes, 10,000 ft. alt.; Mt. Chittenden, 9800 ft. alt. "Mountains along Yellowstone Lake'' (Adams). Lychnis Drummondii, Wats. Wooded slopes, Pebble Creek, 8000 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone and Heart Lakes (Coulter); Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Lychnis Parryi, Wats. Grassy slopes with Silene Douglasii. Rather common Cerastium arvense, L. Very common, from 6000-10,000 ft. alt. Stellaria umbellata, Turcz. Common in bogs, from 6000-9000 ft. alt. Stellaria longipes, Goltlie. With the preceding. Rather dry places, Bison Peak, 8800 ft. alt. (a very glaucous form). Stellaria crassifolia, Ebrhart. Mt. Washburne, 9600 ft. alt, Rare. Stellaria borealis, Bigelow. Open and wooded bogs. Indian Creek, 8000 ft. alt.; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Arenaria congesta, Nutt., var. subcongesta, Watson. Very common everywhere, from 6500-9o00 ft. alt. Arenaria pungens, Nutt. Bare gravelly ridges, Mt. Norris, 9800 ft. alt. Arenaria verna, L., var. hirta, Watson. Bed of dry creek, Soda Butte, 7500 ft. alt,; Mt. Holmes, 10,000 ft. alt. 30 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Arenaria biflora, var. obtusa, Watson (A. arctica, Stev. of Hayd. Rep. for 1871-72). Common on alpine summits. Mt. Holmes, 10,000 ft. alt.; Saddle Mt., 10,200 ft. alt.; "High peaks near Yellowstone Lake" (Coulter); Red Mt., 10,000 ft. alt. (Adams). Arenaria striata, Watson. Mt. Washburne, 9800 ft. alt.; Mt. Norris, 9000 ft. alt. Not common. Arenaria lateriflora, L. Grassy slopes, Slough and Pebble Creeks, 6500-8000 ft. alt. Rare. Sagina Linnaei, Presl. Rather common in wet places at middle elevations. Fawn Creek, 7400 ft. alt.; Lower Geyser Basin (Coulter); Mud Springs (Adams). PORTULACACE.51. Calandrinia pygmaea, Gray. Generally on bare wet subalpine and alpine slopes. Mt. Holmes, 9300 ft. alt.; Sepulchre Mt., 8200 ft. alt.; Red Mt., 10,000 ft. alt., and Tower Falls, 6500 ft. alt. (Coulter). Claytonia Chamissonis, Esch. Gibbon Lake, 8000 ft. alt. ; East Fork of the Yellowstone, 6500 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Coulter, Adams) ; Lower Falls of the Yellow- stone (Coulter). Claytonia Caroliniana, Michx., var. sessilifolia, Torr. Common in wet places from 7000-9500 ft. alt. Spraguea umbellata, Torr. Common in dry and rocky places, especially on hot spring and geyser formation, from 6500 to 8500 ft. alt. Lewisia rediviva, Pursh. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Rare within the Park limits. ELATINACEJB. Elatine triandra, Schkuhr. Bottom of ponds at outlet of Yellowstone Lake with Iso'etes Bolanderi and Subularia aquatica. Elatine Americana, Am. (Trimerous form). Muddy shore of ponds at outlet of Yellowstone Lake, witli Limosella aquatica and TilUm arigustifolia. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 31 MALVACEiE. Malvastrum coccineum, Gray. Mammoth Hot Springs. Rare within the Park. Sphaeralcea rivularis, Torr. Gibbon Canon ; Mammoth Hot Springs in open pine woods. Rare. LINACE^I. Linum perenne, L. Very common at low elevations. Petals sometimes wh'.te. GERANIACEJE. Geranium Carolinianum, L. Hot Sulphur Springs (Adams). Geranium incisum, Nutt. Very common on the border of woods up to 9000 ft. alt. Geranium Richardsoni, Fisch. & Mey. With the former, but less common. Petals apparently always white. Flcerkea proserpinacoides, Willd. Around springs near Swan Lake. Rare. RHAMNACEiE. Rhamnus alnifolia, L'Her. Along upper East Fork of the Yellowstone, 7000 ft. alt. Rare. Ceanothus velutinus, Dougl. Rocky hills, Soda Butte, 8000 ft. alt. Rare. SAPINDACE.S1. Acer glabrum, Torr. Wooded hills, Mammoth Hot Springs, 6500 ft. alt. Rare. LEGUMINOS.E. Lupinus ceespitosus, Nutt. Meadows and subalpine grassy slopes. Blacktail Deer Creek, 7200 ft. alt. ; Mt. Washburne, 9600 ft. alt. ; Mud Springs and Yellowstone Lake (Adams) ; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Parry). Rather Common. 32 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Lupinus sericeus, Pursh. Common throughout : Mammoth Hot Springs, 6000 ft. alt. ; Black tail Deer Creek, 7300 ft. alt. ; Mt. Washburne, 9800 ft. alt. ; Mt. Holmes, 10,000 ft. alt. Lupinus argenteus, Pursh., var. decumbens, Wats. With the preceding, but more frequent in meadows from 8500-9500 ft. alt. ; Mammoth Hot Springs, 5900 ft. alt. ; Mirror Lake Plateau, 8800 ft. alt. ; Mud Springs and Yellowstone Lake (L. laxiflorus, Dougl., var. tenellu8, T. and G.), Adams. Lupinus Burkei, Watson. Border of woods, Turbid Lake, 8000 ft. alt. Open pine woods, Mirror Lake Plateau, 8600 ft. alt. ; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (L. polyphyllu8, Lindl.), Adams. Lupinus pusillus, Pursh. Mouth of Gardiner River, 5300 ft. alt. Rare within the Park. Trifolium longipes, Nutt. Very common in bogs and meadows from 6000-8500 ft. alt. Trifolium Kingii, Watson ( T. Haydeni, Porter). Subalpine wet slopes. Mt. Holmes, 9600 ft. alt. Trifolium Parryi, Gray. With the preceding. Astragalus oaryocarpus, Ker. Mammoth Hot Springs, 5800 ft. alt. Rare. Astragalus Canadensis, L. Blacktail Deer Creek, 7200 ft. alt. ; Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. Rare. Astragalus hypoglottis, L. Grassy places, Common in the noithern portion of the Park. Astragalus Drummondii, Dougl. . Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. ; Sepulchre Mt., 8000 ft. alt. ; Cache Creek, 7600 ft. alt. ; Gardiner River, 5700 ft. alt. Frequent. Astragalus aboriginum, Rich. Mt. Washburne, 10,000 ft. alt. ; hills along Soda Butte Creek, 8000 ft. alt. Rare. Astragalus oroboides, Hornera., var. Americanus, Gray. Blacktail Deer Creek, 7300 ft. alt. ; Slough Creek, 6600 ft. alt. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 33 Astragalus alpinus, L. Common throughout grassy places and open woods, from GC00-9500 ft. alt. Astragalus Missouriensis, Nutt. Dry rocky hills, mouth of Gardiner River, 5600 ft. alt. Astragalus Purshii, Dougl. With the preceding. Astragalus triphyllus, Pursh. With A. Purshii. The last three species not observed elsewhere in the Park. Astragalus frigidus, Gray, var. Americanus, Watson. Grassy borders of streams and open woods. Blacktail Deer Creek, 7300 ft. alt. ; Soda Butte Creek, 7800 ft. alt. Rather rare. Astragalus campestris, Gray. Border of pine woods. Very common from 6000-8000 ft. alt. Astragalus multiflorus, Gray. Dry bench lands. Blacktail Deer Creek and Mt. Evarts, 7200-7800 ft. alt. ; Soda Butte Creek, 8000 ft. alt. ; Cache Creek, 6700 ft. alt. Astragalus tegetarius, Wats. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. Astragalus tegetarius, Wats., var. implexus, Canby. Bare rocky slopes and summits. Sepulchre Mt., 8600 ft. alt. ; Mt. Washburne, 10,000 ft. alt. Oxytropis deflexa, D. C. Meadows along Blacktail Deer Creek, 7300 ft. alt. ; Mt. Washburne, 10,000 ft. alt. (a dwarf, stemless form, with leaves an inch and leaflets 2-3 lines long). Oxytropis viscida, Nutt. Grassy slopes and summits of Specimen Ridge and Amethyst Mt., 8300-9000 ft. alt. Oxytropis lagopus, Nutt. Common throughout. Bare rocky hills, Gardiner, 5 00 ft. alt. ; Mt. Washburne, 9800 ft. alt. Oxytropis Lamberti, Pursh. Common from 5300 ft. alt. to alpine. Mouth of Gardiner River, 5400 ft. alt. ; Mt. Holmes, 10,000 ft. alt. 3 34 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Hedysarum Hackenzii, Richard. Mammoth Hot Springs, 0200 ft. alt. ; Gardiner Falls ; gravelly banks junction of Soda Butte Creek and East Fork of the Yellowstone, 6600 ft. alt. Hedysarum boreale, Nutt. Rather common in open pine woods, Sepulchre Mt., 8000 ft. alt. ; Slough Creek, 6700 ft. alt. ; East Fork of Pelican Creek, 8400 ft. alt. ROSACEA. Prunus demissa, Walp. Tower Falls. Rare. Spiraea betulifolia, Pallas. Open woods, not common. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. ; Hot Sulphur Springs and Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams) ; yellow- stone (Parry). Spiraea betulifolia, Pallas, var. rosea, Gray. Shoshone Lake (Coulter). Rubus Nutkanus, Mocino. Rather rare in damp wooded slopes and ravines. Slough Creek, 8000 ft. alt. ; Cache Creek, 7800 ft. alt. Rubus strigosus, Michx. Blacktail Deer Creek, 7400 ft. alt. ; Obsidian Canon, 7600 ft. alt, ; Heart Lake, 7500 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Rather local. Dryas octopetala, L. On bare alpine summits. Mt, Holmes, 10,100 ft. alt. ; Summits at head of North Fork of Stinkingwater, 10,300 ft. alt. ; Slides, Soda Butte Creek, 8200 ft. alt. Geum macrophyllum, Willd. Common in bogs and meadows at low elevations. Gardiner River, 5600 ft. alt. ; Tower Falls, 6300 ft. alt. Geum triflorum, Pursh. With the preceding, but more frequently on dry slopes and banks. Fragaria vesoa, L. Common in grassy places and open woods from 6000-8000 ft. alt. Producing very little fruit. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 35 Potentilla glandulosa, Lindl. Rather common, generally in dry and rocky places. Mirror Lake Plateau, 8600 ft. alt. ; Open woods Mammoth Hot Springs, 6400 ft. alt. ; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Potentilla Norvegica, L. Mud Springs and Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Potentilla rivalis, Nutt., var. millegrana, Watson (P. millegrana, Engelra.). Sandy bluffs and shores of Yellowstone Lake, 7740 ft. alt. Potentilla palustris, Scop. Shoshone Lake (Forwood). Potentilla Plattensis, Nutt. Grassy summits of Specimen Ridge and Amethyst Mt., 8500-9400 ft. alt, ; Mt. Washburne, 9800 ft. alt. ; Stinkingwater Pass (Parry). Potentilla dissecta, Pursh (P. diversifolia, Lehra.). Meadows and alpine slopes, from 6500-10,000 ft. alt. Common, and varying much in size according to elevation. Potentilla gracilis, Dougl. Meadows from 7000-9000 ft. alt. Antelope Creek, 8000 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake, 7740 ft. alt. Potentilla gracilis, Dougl., var. flabelliformis, T. and G. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6400 ft. alt. ; Cache Creek, 7800 ft. alt. In rather dryer situations than the last. Potentilla gracilis, Dougl., var. rigida, Watson (P. Niittallii, Lehm.). Hot Sulphur Springs (Adams). Potentilla fruticosa, L. Common in bogs from 7000-9000 ft. alt. Potentilla Anserina, L. Wet places. Delusion Lake, 7800 ft. alt. ; Mirror Lake, 8900 ft. alt. ; Pelican Creek, 7800 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Sibbaldia procumbens, L. Common on subalpine and alpine slopes and summits, but frequently at much lower elevations. Rocky hills, Slough Creek, 6800 ft. alt.; Rocks, Pelican Creek, 8000 ft. alt. Ivesia Gordoni, T. and G. Alpine and subalpine. Very common. 36 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Rosa Sayi, Schwein. Wooded and open rocky places. Slough Creek, 6600 ft. alt.; Cache Creek, 7900 ft. alt.; Alum and Sour Creeks, 7700 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Lake, 7800 ft. alt. Common. Rosa Arkansana, Porter. Open woods, Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt.; Thickets, Soda Butte Creek, 7800 ft. alt. Rather rare. Pyrus sambucifolia, Cham and Schlecht. Sulphur Hills, Pelican Creek, 8200 ft. alt.; Gibbon Lakes, 8000 ft. alt.; Rare. Amelanchier alnifolia, Ntrtt. Open rocky places up to 7500 ft. alt. Bison Peak, 6800 ft. alt.; East Fork of the Yellowstone, 7400 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Lake (Coulter). Not common. SAXIPRAGACE^l. Saxifraga oppositifolia, L. High alpine. Mt. Holmes, 10,100 ft. alt.; Mt. Washbume, 10,000 ft. alt. Mountains along Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Saxifraga caespitosa, L. Rocky, wet alpine slopes, near snow, North Fork of Stinkingwater, 10,200 ft. alt. Saxifraga bronchialis. L. Rocky knolls along Slouch Creek, 6700 ft. alt; Yellowstone Lake (Adams) ; Gallatin Range (W. H. Weed). Saxifraga rivularis, L. With S. ccespitosa, L. Saxifraga punctata, L. Bogs and wooded mountain streams. Common. Indian Creek, 8000 ft. alt.; Slough Creek, 7700 ft. alt.; Pelican Creek, 8200 ft. alt.; Yellow- stone River (Coulter); Hot Sulphur Springs and Yellowstone Falls (Adams). Saxifraga Jamesii, Torr. Hot Sulphur Springs (Adams); National Park (Coulter's Bot. of the Rocky Mts.) ; Gallatin Range (W. H. Weed). Saxifraga nivalis, L. Wet slopes from 7500-9500 ft. alt.; Sepulchre Mt., 8000 ft. alt.; Mt. Washbuine, 9300 ft. alt. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 37 Saxifraga integrifolia, Hook. Meadows and bogs at rather lower elevations than the last. Swan Lake, 7300 ft. alt. Tellima pentandra, Canby, ined. Grassy slopes, Soda Butte Creek, 8000 ft. alt. Rare. Tellima parviflora, Hook. Grassy places, Mammoth Hot Springs, 6300 ft. alt.; Soda Butte Creek, 7800 ft. alt. Not common. Tellima tenella, Watson. Rocky places, Cache Creek, 9000 ft. alt. ; Specimen Ridge, 8400 ft. alt. Rare. Mitella pentandra, Hook. Bolder of woods, Slough Creek, 6500 ft. alt.; Rocky places, Sour Creek, 8400 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Frequent. Mitella trifida, Graham. Wooded slopes, Soda Butte Creek, 8C00 ft. alt.; Mt. Washbume, 8800 ft. alt. Not rare. Heuchera cylindrica, Dougl. Rocky open places, G500-9000 ft. alt.; Soda Butte Creek, 8000 ft. alt.; Rocks, Slough Creek, 6700 ft. alt. ; Hot Springs along the Yellowstone, 6200 ft. alt. ; Grand Canon of the Yellowstone, Lower Fire-hole Basin (Coulter). Heuchera parvifolia, Nutt. Swan Lake, 7400 ft. alt.; Cache Creek, 7800 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Parnassia parviflora, DC. Lower Fire-hole Basin (Coulter). Parnassia palustris, L. Bogs, Soda Butte Creek, 7600 ft. alt. ; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Parnassia fimbriata, Banks. Open bogs and along streams fiom 6000-9000 ft. alt. Very common. Ribes oxyacanthoides, L. Frequent in cold bogs and along mountain streams, 7000-8500 ft. alt. Eibes lacustre, Poir. Rocks, Bison Peak, 8700 ft. alt. ; Yellowstone Lake (Adams) ; Yellow- stone (Parry). 38 FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Bibes lacustre, Poir, var. parvulum, Gray. Slough Creek, 6900 ft. alt.; Obsidian Canon, 7600 ft. alt. Ribes prostratum, I/Her. Tower Falls, 6200 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Rare. Ribes Hudsonianum, Richards. Along streams, Antelope Creek. 6400 ft. alt. ; Tower Falls, 6200 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Falls (Adams). Not common. Ribes cereum, Dougl. Dry, open rocky places, Junction Butte, 6200 ft. alt.; Yellowstone Lake (Adams). Rare. Ribes viscosissimum, Pursh. Rocky places and open-wooded slopes from 7000-9000 ft. alt.; Soda Butte, 7500 ft. alt.; Elephant Back, 9000 ft. alt.; Yellowstone (Pairy- Forwood). Ribes floridum, L. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6200 ft. alt. Not common. CRASSULACE.SS. Tillaea angustifolia, Nutt. Muddy shore of ponds, Yellowstone Lake with Elatine Americana. Sedum rhodanthum, Gray. Bogs, Cache Creek, 7000 ft. alt.; Gibbon Lakes, 8000 ft. alt ; Tower Falls (Coulter) ; Mud Springs, Yellowstone Lake and Upper Falls of the Yellowstone (Adams). Rather local. Sedum stenopetalum, Pursh. Very common throughout, 6000-10,000 ft. alt. Sedum Douglasii, Hook. " Divide between Snake River and Yellowstone Lake, 8800 ft. alt." (Adams), HALORAGE^. Hippuris vulgaris, L. In great quantities in sluggish streams and shallow ponds, 7500-8500 ft. alt.; Lewis Lake; Delusion Lake; Riddle Lake; head of Bioad Creek. Myriophyllum verticillatum, L. Lakes, head of Broad Creek, 8400 ft. alt. FLORA OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 39 ONAGRACE^J. Epilobium spicatum, Lam. Dry places, principally on the burnt areas. Mammoth Hot Springs, 6300 ft. alt.; Mirror Lake Plateau, 8800 ft. alt.; Alum Creek (Forwood); Mud Springs (Adams). Epilobium latifolium, L. Dry washes along Soda Butte Creek, 7700 ft. alt. Not common. Epilobium suffruticosum, Nutt. With the former. Yellowstone Lake and Upper Falls of the Yellow- stone (Adams). Epilobium alpinum, L. Rather common on subalpine mountain slopes. Epilobium coloratum, Muhl. Alum Creek (Forwood); Mud Springs (Adams). Epilobium Drummondii, Hausknecht (E. origanifolium, Lam.). "Hausknecht does not allow E. origanifolium, Lam., to be Ameri- can" (Watson). Coal bogs and mountain streams, 7500-9500 ft. alt. Epilobium Hornemanni, Reich, (a form of E. origanifolium, Lam.). With the preceding. Epilobium paniculatum, Nutt. Dry, open grassy slopes. Soda Butte, 7000 ft. alt. Gayophytum ramosissimum, Torr and Gray. Very common on dry banks up to 8000 ft. alt. Gayophytum raoemosum, Torr and Gray. With the preceding. Oenothera biennis, L. Hot Sulphur Springs and Yellowstone Lake (Adams).