Field Book of Western Wild Flowers

Part 1

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FIELD BOOK OF WESTERN WILD FLOWERS

BY MARGARET ARMSTRONG

IN COLLABORATION WITH J. J. THORNBER, A.M.

PROFESSOR OF BOTANY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, AND BOTANIST OF THE ARIZONA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION AT TUCSON

WITH FIVE HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS IN BLACK AND WHITE, AND FORTY-EIGHT PLATES IN COLOR DRAWN FROM NATURE BY THE AUTHOR

C. P. PUTNAM'S SONS The Knickerbocker Press NEW YORK AND LONDON 1915

COPYRIGHT, 1915 BY MARGARET ARMSTRONG

The Knickerbocker Press, New York

PREFACE.

In this little book a very large number of the commoner wild flowers growing in the United States, west of the Rocky Mountains, are pictured and described. It is the first attempt to supply a popular field book for the whole West. The field is vast, including within its limits all sorts of climate and soil, producing thousands of flowers, infinite in variety and wonderful in beauty, their environment often as different as that of Heine's Pine and Palm. In such strange homes as the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest of Arizona, or the deserts of Utah and southern California, we find the oddest desert plants, forced to curious expedients in order to sustain life amidst almost perpetual heat and drought, but often displaying blossoms of such brilliance and delicacy that they might well be envied by their more fortunate sisters, flourishing beside shady waterfalls, in a "happy valley" like Yosemite, or a splendid mountain garden, such as spreads in many-colored parterres of bloom around the feet of Mt. Rainier. On the wind-swept plains hundreds of flowers are to be found; many kinds of hardy plants brighten the salty margins of the sea cliffs, or bloom at the edge of the snow on rocky mountain peaks, while quantities of humble, everyday flowers border our country roadsides or tint the hills and meadows with lavish color.

The field included the States of Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona and to designate this whole field the term West is used in this book. The term Northwest designates Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho, and northern California, and the term Southwest covers southern California and Arizona. The flowers found only in the Rocky Mountains are not included, and it may be noted here that exceedingly few of the western flowers cross the Rockies and are found in the East.

This is the only fully illustrated book of western flowers, except Miss Parsons's charming book, which is for California only. The drawings have all been made from life. Allowance must be made for differences in appearance, owing to locality, and the text should be consulted for the size, as, on so small a page, some of the plants must be drawn smaller than others.

Almost all technical botanical terms have been translated into ordinary English, as this book is intended primarily for the general public, but as a large number of the plants given have never before been illustrated, or even described, except in somewhat inaccessible or technical publications, it is hoped that the scientist also may find the contents both interesting and useful.

The nomenclature used, with few exceptions, is that of the American Code. Where these names differ greatly from those in common usage the latter are given as synonyms in brackets, making the book more useful to all readers. The botanical names are marked with an accent. Two accents are used, the grave (`) to indicate the long English sound of the vowel, such as the "i" in "violet," and the acute (´) to show the short sound, such as the "i" in "lily."

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

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

The arrangement is that originated by Mr. Schuyler Mathews, in his Field Book of American Wild Flowers, which has been found very popular in the East, but, in this book, most of the genera, as well as the species, have been very briefly described.

MARGARET ARMSTRONG.

NEW YORK, January 1, 1915.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

PREFACE iii

LIST OF COLORED PLATES xi

TECHNICAL TERMS xiii

KEY TO FAMILIES xv

FAMILIES: Water-plantain (Alismaceae) 2 Lily (Liliaceae) 4 Iris (Iridaceae) 66 Orchid (Orchidaceae) 72 Lizard-tail (Saururaceae) 80 Sandalwood (Santalaceae) 82 Birthwort (Aristolochiaceae) 84 Buckwheat (Polygonaceae) 86 Pigweed (Chenopodiaceae) 96 Four-o'clock (Nyctaginaceae) 100 Carpet-weed (Aizoaceae) 108 Pink (Caryophyllaceae) 112 Purslane (Portulacaceae) 120 Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) 126 Barberry (Berberidaceae) 152 Water Lily (Nymphaeaceae) 156 Strawberry Shrub (Calycanthaceae) 158 Poppy (Papaveraceae) 160 Bleeding Heart (Fumariaceae) 168 Mustard (Cruciferae) 174 Caper (Capparidaceae) 186 Orpine (Crassulaceae) 192 Saxifrage (Saxifragaceae) 196 Hydrangea (Hydrangeaceae) 206 Gooseberry (Grossulariaceae) 210 Apple (Pomaceae) 214 Plum (Drupaceae) 216 Rose (Rosaceae) 218 Pea (Fabaceae) 242 Senna (Cassiaceae) 264 Mimosa (Mimosaceae) 266 Krameria (Krameriaceae) 268 Caltrop (Zygophyllaceae) 268 Flax (Linaceae) 270 Wood-sorrel (Oxalidaceae) 272 Geranium (Geraniaceae) 274 Milkwort (Polygalaceae) 278 Meadow Foam (Limnanthaceae) 278 Buckeye (Hippocastanaceae) 280 Buckthorn (Rhamnaceae) 282 Mallow (Malvaceae) 284 St. John's-wort (Hypericaceae) 292 Fouquiera (Fouquieriaceae) 294 Violet (Violaceae) 296 Loasa (Loasaceae) 300 Rock-rose (Cistaceae) 304 Cactus (Cactaceae) 304 Evening Primrose (Onagraceae) 312 Parsley (Umbelliferae) 332 Dogwood (Cornaceae) 338 Heath (Ericaceae) 340 Wintergreen (Pyrolaceae) 354 Indian Pipe (Monotropaceae) 356 Primrose (Primulaceae) 362 Olive (Oleaceae) 366 Gentian (Gentianaceae) 368 Milkweed (Asclepiadaceae) 374 Dogbane (Apocynaceae) 378 Buck-bean (Menyanthaceae) 380 Morning-glory (Convolvulaceae) 380 Phlox (Polemoniaceae) 384 Waterleaf (Hydrophyllaceae) 402 Borage (Boraginaceae) 422 Verbena (Verbenaceae) 434 Mint (Labiatae) 434 Potato (Solanaceae) 458 Figwort (Scrophulariaceae) 466 Broom-rape (Orobanchaceae) 504 Madder (Rubiaceae) 506 Valerian (Valerianaceae) 508 Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae) 512 Gourd (Cucurbitaceae) 518 Bellflower (Campanulaceae) 520 Sunflower (Compositae) 522 Chicory (Chicoriaceae) 570

Part 2

INDEX 581

COLORED ILLUSTRATIONS.

FACING PAGE

ORANGE MARIPOSA TULIP Frontispiece

WILD ONION 14

COVENA 16

INDIAN HYACINTH 24

DOGTOOTH VIOLET 28

BRONZE BELLS 38

BUTTERFLY TULIP 62

BUTTER BALLS 92

SAND-VERBENA 104

INDIAN PINK 116

FOOTHILLS LARKSPUR 128

LILAC CLEMATIS 150

CALIFORNIA POPPY 164

BUSH POPPY 166

WESTERN WALLFLOWER 176

CLIFF ROSE 226

BI-COLORED LUPINE 252

WILD SWEET PEA 254

PRIDE OF CALIFORNIA 256

HEDYSARUM PABULARE 260

DESERT SENNA 266

SPOTTED MALLOW 288

SALMON GLOBE MALLOW 290

HEDGEHOG CACTUS 306

OPUNTIA BASILARIS 308

Part 3

PINCUSHION CACTUS 310

WHITE EVENING PRIMROSE 326

WESTERN AZALEA 342

SNOW-PLANT 358

SMALL SHOOTING STAR 366

CANCHALAGUA 370

SCARLET GILIA 392

LARGE PRICKLY GILIA 398

MOUNTAIN PHACELIA 404

PHACELIA GRANDIFLORA 408

BABY BLUE-EYES 412

RAMONA INCANA 438

THISTLE SAGE 450

PAINT BRUSH 472

PENTSTEMON CYANANTHUS 480

PENTSTEMON PARRYI 482

BUSH MONKEY FLOWER 490

PINK MONKEY FLOWER 492

WILD VALERIAN 510

ARIZONA THISTLE 524

EASTER DAISY 530

XYLORRHIZA TORTIFOLIA 544

CUT-LEAVED BALSAM-ROOT 558

TECHNICAL TERMS.

=Corolla.= The flower-cup composed of one or more divisions called petals.

=Petal.= One of the divisions of the corolla.

=Calyx.= A flower-envelope, usually green, formed of several divisions called sepals, protecting the bud.

=Sepal.= One of the divisions of the calyx.

Part 4

=Anther.= The pollen-bearing organ, usually yellow.

=Filament.= The stalk-like support of the anther.

=Stamen.= Anther and filament combined.

=Ovary.= The seed-bearing organ.

=Ovary inferior.= With the flower-parts growing from above the ovary.

=Ovary superior.= With the flower-parts growing from below the ovary.

=Placenta.= That particular portion of the ovary wall to which the ovules are attached.

=Ovule.= The body in the ovary which becomes a seed.

=Style.= The stalk-like projection proceeding from the ovary and terminated by the stigma.

=Stigma.= The generally sticky and sometimes branching termination of the pistil through which pollination takes place.

=Pistil.= Ovary, style, and stigma combined.

=Regular Flower.= Generally symmetrical and uniform in the number of its parts.

=Perfect Flower.= A flower complete in all the common parts.

=Staminate.= With stamens and without pistils.

=Pistillate.= With pistils and without stamens.

=Polygamous.= Pistillate, staminate, and perfect flowers, on the same or on different plants.

=Claw.= The narrow or stalk-like base of some petals.

=Pedicel.= The stalk of a flower in a cluster.

=Raceme.= A flower-cluster in which the flowers are borne along the flower-stalk on pedicels of nearly equal length.

=Spike.= A flower-cluster in which the flowers have no pedicels and are arranged more or less closely along the flower-stalk.

=Bracts.= Small scalelike formations.

=Involucre.= A circle of bracts below a flower-cluster.

=Stipule.= Small often leaflike formations, confined to the base of the leaf.

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