Part 10

89. SNOWBERRY Honeysuckle Family Symphoricarpos utahensis

This low, spreading shrub is recognized by its shreddy bark, small, oval, opposite leaves on very short petioles, and in late summer or fall by its white berries. The small, pinkish flowers are not at all conspicuous and are often overlooked. The plant is browsed by deer and other animals and is sometimes called Buckbrush. It is found mostly in the high plateaus of Zion and is fairly common at Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon. The fruit, although very showy, is not very tasty.

90. BEARBERRY HONEYSUCKLE Honeysuckle Family Lonicera involucrata

This member of the Honeysuckle Family has a number of common names such as Twinberry Honeysuckle, Ink-berry and Pigeon-bush.

The flowers, which are yellow and always come in pairs, are very attractive to the hummingbirds. Mature fruits are black berries about the size of peas and are partially enclosed by reddish bracts. The plants are unpalatable and browsed very slightly, but the fruits are eaten by birds and chipmunks.

91. ELEPHANTHEAD PEDICULARIS Figwort Family Pedicularis groenlandica

You will find this strange-looking plant in the wet meadows of the alpine areas of Cedar Breaks and on the Plateaus of the Kolob Section and the Horse Pasture Plateau of Zion National Park. Its blooming season is July and August. The peculiarly modified petals of the corolla resemble the forehead, ears and waving trunk of an elephant, hence the common name Elephanthead.

92. AMERICAN HAREBELL Bellflower Family Campanula rotundifolia

In the drier habitats of the alpine regions around Cedar Breaks and generally along the roadsides in large clumps you may find this beautiful blue flower. The lovely deep-blue flowers, drooping on their hairlike stems, have such perfect shape and simple grace. The Harebell is very wide spread, being found in Scotland, Northern Europe and Asia as well as over much of North America.

93. WESTERN CARDINALFLOWER Lobelia Family Lobelia splendens

A pleasant surprise to many park visitors is to find this spectacular flower, with its abundant scarlet blooms on long stalks, presenting a colorful display during the late summer when most plants have ceased blooming. This colorful species, known also as Scarlet Lobelia, is very abundant along the Narrows Trail of Zion Canyon and also along water courses of other shady canyons. The long, tubular corollas and pointed petals arranged in irregular pattern of two and three identify this plant from the Scarlet Penstemon which it resembles.

94. RABBITBRUSH Sunflower Family Chrysothamnus sp.

Rabbitbrush is fairly common along roadways and trails in the arid regions. Because rabbits find this plant a favorite shelter, it has been named Rabbitbrush. Indians boil the plant for yellow dye, and white man found certain species of Chrysothamnus to contain rubber.

Consideration was given to the production of rubber from Rabbitbrush during the First World War and up until the discovery of synthetic rubber.

95. CURLYCUP GUMWEED Sunflower Family Grindelia squarrosa

An exotic plant probably brought into the area by vehicles, as it is found most commonly along the roadways or in cultivated fields. Once started it spreads very rapidly along the highways or in cultivated areas.

The plant is suspected to be toxic to livestock, but is rarely eaten. It is used in the treatment of asthma in humans. In addition, external use is made of it to relieve the irritation caused by Poison Ivy.

The plants have probably migrated to this area from the central plains states.

96. PURPLE ASTER Sunflower Family Aster sp.

The Asters and Fleabanes are sometimes confused, but they can generally be recognized by the difference in the number of ray flowers. That is, Asters have only about half as many ray flowers as do the Fleabanes.

Species of Purple Aster form an important part of the late summer floral display at Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon. They come on after the Lupine, Columbine, Indian Paintbrush and other early bloomers have faded.

97. FLEABANE Sunflower Family Erigeron speciosus

There are numerous species of Fleabane in this region. Some particular kind may be found at any time of the growing season, for certain species bloom very early and others continue late in autumn.

Some species of Fleabane grow in dense masses and, in early spring, carpet the meadows and roadsides. The ray flowers of the Fleabanes are generally twice as numerous per head as are the ray flowers of the Asters. The plants are quite similar in other respects.

98. MOUNTAIN SUNFLOWER Sunflower Family Helianthella uniflora

Sunflowers abound in these parks during the late summer. As the early summer flowers, mostly in blues and purples, fade, the yellow and red flowers come on. This is especially true in the alpine meadows of Cedar Breaks in August when the predominant species are the Sunflowers.

The seeds of the Sunflowers supply abundant food for many birds and small mammals.

99. COMMON SUNFLOWER Sunflower Family Helianthus annuus