Part 5

SPURGE FAMILY

Snow-on-the-Mountain Euphorbia marginata

Plate 7, fig. 4

The beauty of the Snow-on-the-Mountain is due to the white border of the leaves and bracts, and not at all to the flowers, which are reduced to tiny stamens and pistils. A field of these plants with their snowy foliage makes clear the reason for the common name. They may be found all summer in abundance in the clay soil of pastures and roadsides at 4000-7000 ft., but should be handled with care since the milky juice is poisonous. Where it touches the skin, it often causes itching and inflammation, accompanied with pimples and blisters very like those caused by poison ivy. This blistering action is so decided that the juice is said to be used to brand cattle in some parts of the West, as the scar heals more rapidly than one made by the branding iron. Honey made from the flowers is also poisonous, but since it is hot and disagreeable to the taste, it is not apt to be eaten.

Snow-on-the-Mountain has considerable value as an ornamental plant for the garden, and it furnishes some rubber, though not in sufficient quantity to be commercially important. Other species of Euphorbia, or spurge, were formerly used as cathartics and stimulants, but they are all too acrid for safe application, either externally or internally. The small species are sometimes used to cauterize warts, but other means are more certain in their effect and less likely to cause injury to the surrounding skin.

GERANIUM FAMILY

Storksbill, Alfilaria Erodium cicutarium

Plate 7, fig. 5

The fruit of the Storksbill bears a fancied resemblance to the long beak of a crane or stork, and both the common and scientific names refer to this resemblance. The flowers are rose-purple and look like those of a small geranium. The twisted fruits have been carried everywhere by sheep, and the plants are especially common in roadsides and pastures at 4000-7000 ft. The Storksbill has been somewhat used in medicine as a mild astringent and tonic, and under the name of “Filaree” it is greatly prized by stockmen as forage, especially for sheep.

Geranium, Cranesbill Geranium caespitosum

Plate 7, fig. 6

The Geranium, like the Alfilaria, has a fruit resembling the long beak of the crane or stork. The flowers are bright pink, red or purple, while the plants closely resemble those of the White Geranium. The latter, however, grows usually along brook-banks and in wet meadows, while the Red Geranium occurs on dry foothills, gravel-slides and in pine woods at 5000-10000 ft. Both Geraniums bloom from late spring to midsummer.

FOUR O’CLOCK FAMILY

Fringe Cup Allionia linearis

Plate 8, fig. 1

The purple flowers of the Fringe Cup open late in the afternoon and wither as they close in the heat of the sun the next morning. As with most red and blue flowers, albino forms are sometimes found. The plants are 2-5 ft. in height and may be found in bloom all summer on prairies, foothills and gravel-slides at 4000-9000 ft.

Four O’Clock Mirabilis multiflora

Plate 8, fig. 2

This plant resembles the Four O’Clock of the garden, but the flowers are much larger. It also opens late in the afternoon and withers the next morning. The large rose-red blossoms grow on plants 1-2 ft. high and usually densely clustered. They are found on the plains and foothills at 4000-7000 ft.

FOUR O’CLOCK FAMILY

1 Fringe Cup: Allionia linearis 2 Four O’Clock: Mirabilis multiflora

GOOSEFOOT FAMILY

3 Strawberry Blite: Chenopodium capitatum

BUCKWHEAT FAMILY

4 Lady’s Thumb, Heart’s Ease: Polygonum pennsilvanicum 5 Golden Buckwheat: Eriogonum Jamesii 8 Crimson Wings: Rumex venosus

PINK FAMILY

6 Alpine Pink, Moss Campion: Silene acaulis 7 Cow Pink: Saponaria vaccaria]

GOOSEFOOT FAMILY