Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-07-06

TAIN mac, and leaves like small holly
leaves, but not shiny. A new man
zanita also appears (Arctostaphylos
manzanita), differing from the form
so abundant about Ashland (Arctos-
taphylos viscida) in having bright
green instead of pale blue-green foli-
age. A little farther on we will
come upon another species related to
the manzanitas but very different in
appearance, the kinnikinnick (Arc-
tostaphylos uva-ursD, prostrate,
vine-like shrub with small oval leaves
and berries like those of manzanita.
We must not overlook the beautiful
snow orchid (Cephalanthera au-
stinae) which appears at this altitude.
1t is we'll namede for the whole plant,
which is a foot or more in height
and leafless, is white without trace
OF green. Another curious plant,
also without green color, will be no.
ticed-the pine drops (Pterospora
andromedea). 1t is red or yellowish,
fleshy and sticky, and one to three
feet in height.
We are now within something less
than thousand feet of the summit
Tin altitude), and most of the vege-
tation about us is made up of un-
familiar plants, unless we are accus-
toned to mountain climbing in the
west. The soil becomes thin and
stony, the smaller plants are low and
dwarfed, the shrubs densely matted,
and the trees begin to look prema-
turely old and decrepit-all showing
that the struggle for existence is a
serious matter, and that the elements
have not dealt kindly with them; but
in spite of this we will find as we
advance that the flowers become
more brilliant and abundant. 1t
seems strange to find here form of
the wild cherry (Prunus emargi-
natal, dwarfed and struggling, to be
sure, but still much the same as that
growing in the valleys. There it
blossomed more than two months
ago, here it is just blossoming. Be-
side it grows a small species of noun
tain ash (Pyrus sitchensis), which is
really at home here. In open places
where the soil is most scant there is
an abundance of peculiar stonecrop
(Germania watsonD, low plant
with pale, crowded, fleshy leaves and
clusters of light yellow flowers.
Not far ahead of us on the first
banks of snow, but under our feet,
the flowers are more brilliant than
ever. There are great clusters of a
beautiful, sky-blue polemanium and
golden masses of eriogonum (Eriogo-
mum umbellatum) their dry yellow
flowers in symmetrical umbellate
clusters. There is also a showy dan
delion-like plant with very short
stems and flowers dazzlingly yellow.
Now we cross wide slope where
flowers are less plentiful, but the
ground is clothed with a most luxuri-
ant growth of the freshest and green
est grass. Beyond this the way leads
through a thick growth of dwarfed
and matted shrubs, their tops shorn
by the sharp alpine winds and bowed
by the heavy SHOWS of past winters.
Some are of the same kinds that we
met with farther down, where they
made a better growth; others we
have not seen before. Among the
latter is low honeysuckle (Lonicera
conjugalis), with upright instead of
twining stems and small leaves and
flowers, the latter dark reddish in
color and arranged in pairs along the
branches. There are also two kinds
of wild currant: one, the squaw cur
rant (Ribes cereum), with very
short, stout, grayish branches and
small, stiff leaves, the other, the
sticky currant (Ribes viscosissimum)
with larger leaves and large white
flowers. We are surprised to come
across what at first appears to be a
patch of sagebrush, such as covers
the hills and plains of the eastern
parts of the state. 1t is very conspic-
uous on account of the silvery gray
green color of the foliage, the leaves
being small, narrow and three-lobed
at the end. On closer examination 1t
proves not to be true sagebrush, but
closely related species (Artemisia
tripartita).
Having passed through the shrub
berry, we come upon the real back
bone of the mountain, which still has
considerable rise to the highest
point. We have passed almost be-
yond the forest line; only the gnarled
and sturdy alpine hemlock (Tsuga
mertemiana) still cling to the north
slope, up to its very edge, clustering
| in picturesque groups with the snow
banks at their feet. But around us
what a wealth of bloom! Rarely
have we seen such display of floral
splendor, and, tired as we are and
with a queer feeling in the head, our
| botanical enthusiasm triumphs over
| the flesh, and we have soon gathered
a bouquet ten times as large as we
can possibly hope to get home with.
Only a few of these crown jewels OF
the mountain can be mentioned here.
Very abundant is an alpine phloX
(Phlox douglasii), forming small,
dense masses of white or pale laven-
der blossoms. Two species of dwarf
lupines with silvery gray foliage and
deep blue flowers form large patches
of intense color, distinguishable for
a mile or more. A low, bushy gilia
(Gilia congesta) with gray foliage
and round heads of small, white, ill
scented flowers, is much in evidence.
Here and there are clusters of a curl
Gus fleabane (Erigeron compositus)
with very small, matted and finely d.
vided leaves and button-like, yellow
heads on slender stems only two or
three inches high. A species of cats
ears (Calachortus byalliD Is to be
found in certain places, but is not
very common. 1t is smaller than
| tboea In tha valleys with stems ex.