Part 61

No more curious flower could be found than this little denizen of our alpine meadows. Its tall pink spikes attract one from a distance, and astonish one upon nearer acquaintance by the wonderful resemblance of their blossoms to many small elephants' heads. The forehead, the long ears hanging at the sides of the head, and the long, slender, curving trunk are all perfectly simulated.

These flowers have a pleasant perfume.

Another species--P. attollens, Gray--often found growing with the above, is similar to it in general structure, but its leaves are more dissected, its flower-spike is rather woolly, and its beak is only two or three lines long. These blossoms bear no resemblance to the elephant.

ALPINE WILLOW-HERB. ROCK-FRINGE.

Epilobium obcordatum, Gray. Evening-Primrose Family.

Stems.--Decumbent; three to five inches long. Leaves.--Opposite; ovate; sessile; four to ten lines long. Flowers.--One to five; bright rose-pink; over an inch across. Calyx.--With linear tube and four-cleft limb. Petals.--Four; erect and spreading; obcordate. Stamens.--Eight; four shorter. Filaments slender; exserted. Ovary.--Linear, four-celled. Style filiform; much exserted. Stigma four-lobed. Seeds silky-tufted. Hab.--The Sierras from Tulare County northward.

Though low of stature, this little willow-herb is a charming plant, with large rosy flowers. At an elevation of eight thousand feet or more in the mountains, it nestles amid the rocks, fringing their crevices with a profusion of brilliant bloom. Though it often costs a hard climb up rocky crags to secure it, we feel well repaid by its bright beauty.

* * * * *

Hosackia Purshiana, Benth. Pea Family.

Soft-woolly throughout. Stems.--Erect or loosely spreading over the ground. Leaves.--Sessile. Leaflets.--One to three; ovate to lanceolate; three to nine lines long. Flowers.--Yellowish-pink; solitary; two or three lines long. Peduncles usually exceeding the leaves; with a single leaflet below the flower. Calyx-teeth.--Linear; much exceeding the tube, about equaling the corolla. Pod.--Narrow; twelve to eighteen lines long; five- to seven-seeded. (See Hosackia.) Hab.--Throughout the State.

This little plant is very abundant and widespread. It makes its appearance after the drouth sets in, and often spreads over the ground in considerable patches. Its woolly or silky foliage has a pale cast, and its small, solitary, pinkish flowers, which are quite numerous, are not unattractive.

IV. BLUE AND PURPLE

Described in the White Section:--

ANTIRRHINUM COULTERIANUM--Coulter's Snapdragon. AUDIBERTIA POLYSTACHYA--White Sage. CALOCHORTUS LUTEUS OCULATUS--Butterfly Tulip. CALOCHORTUS VENUSTUS--Mariposa Tulip. CEANOTHUS INTEGERRIMUS--Mountain Birch; Tea-Tree; Soap-Bush. ERIODICTYON GLUTINOSUM--Yerba Santa. ERIODICTYON TOMENTOSUM--Yerba Santa. LATHYRUS VESTITUS--Common Wild Pea. MALACOTHRIX SAXATILIS. MICROMERIA DOUGLASII--Yerba Buena. SOLANUM DOUGLASII--Nightshade. SPHACELE CALYCINA--Pitcher-Sage. VIOLA BECKWITHII--Mountain Heart's-ease.

Described in the Yellow Section:--

ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS--Pimpernel. CALOCHORTUS WEEDII--Mariposa Lily, or Tulip. HOSACKIA CRASSIFOLIA.

Described in the Pink Section:--

CONVOLVULUS SOLDANELLA--Beach Morning-glory. DODECATHEON MEADIA--Shooting-Stars. ERIGERON PHILADELPHICUS--Common Fleabane. GILIA ANDROSACEA. GILIA CALIFORNICA--Prickly Phlox. GILIA DIANTHOIDES--Ground Pink. PENTSTEMON MENZIESII--Pride of the Mountains. PHLOX DOUGLASII--Alpine Phlox.

Described in the Red Section:--

AQUILEGIA COERULEA.

Described in the Miscellaneous Section:--

DARLINGTONIA CALIFORNICA--Californian Pitcher-Plant. DIPSACUS FULLONUM--Teasel.]

FETID ADDER'S-TONGUE.

Scoliopus Bigelovii, Torr. Lily Family.

Leaves.--Two; oval-elliptical to narrowly oblanceolate; four to fifteen inches long; blotched with brown. Flowers.--Three to twelve; on lax pedicels three to nine inches long. Sepals.--Whitish, veined with purple; spreading. Petals.--Erect; narrowly linear; wine-color without. Stamens.--Three. Ovary.--One-celled; three-angled. Stigma three-lobed. Hab.--The Coast Ranges from Marin to Humboldt County.

When the first white blossoms of the toothwort are making their appearance in moist woodlands, we may be sure that the fetid adder's-tongue is already pushing its shining green leaves aboveground away up in the cold cañons of north hill-slopes; and unless we hasten, we shall be too late to see its curious flowers. I have often arrived only in time to find its fruit, which resembles a beechnut in shape. When the flowers first open they stand erect, held in the shining chalice formed by the two sheathing green leaves. Later the leaves open out, showing their beautiful blotched surfaces, and the three-angled flower-stems become limp and twisted. The petals stand erect, and are so slender as to resemble three linear stigmas. The little oval anthers are green before opening, but soon become golden with the discharging pollen.

These flowers are elegant in appearance, and suggestive of orchids; but unfortunately they have a very offensive odor, like that of the star-fishes found upon our beaches, which makes us quite content to leave them ungathered. But the large yellow slug has no such aversion to them, and we have often seen him banqueting upon them. Indeed, he is so fond of them that the flowers are often entirely gone from the stems.

HOUND'S-TONGUE.