SO 8 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM,
2. POLYGONUM L
STANDLEY—FLORA OF GLACIER PARK. 327
1. Eriogonum piperi Greene. Sulphub-plant. Common at nearly all altitudes on the east slope, on open rocky hillsides; abundant on rock elides above timber line.
Wash, to Wyo. and Mont.—Plants usually forming dense clumps; leaves oblanceolate, stalked, obtuse, 3 to 10 cm. long, densely woolly beneath, green and thinly silky on the upper surface; involucres in a large umbel; sepals about 5 mm. long, often becoming deep red in age.
It is doubtful whether this is more than a mere form of E. Jlavum Nutt.
8. Eriogonum androsaceum Benth. On rock slides and exposed summits above timber line, rare in most places; occasionally found in exposed places at low altitudes.
B. C., Alta., and Mont.—Often forming dense mats; leaves oblanceolate or spatulate, 1 to 2 cm. long, densely woolly or becoming green on the upper surface; involucres in a small umbel; flowers 4 to 5 mm. long, sometimes tinged with pink.
3. Eriogonum subalpinum Greene. Umbrella-plant. Common on the east slope at nearly all altitudes, on open hillsides or in meadows. B, C. to Nev., Colo., and Alta.—Plants 15 to 40 cm. high, usually forming loose patches; leaves elliptic, ovate*
or obovate, 1.5 to 5 cm. long, green on the upper side and glabrous or nearly so, densely white-woolly beneath; flowers greenish white or tinged with pink, 4 to 5 mm. long.
4. Eriogonum depressum (Blankinship) Rydb. Silver-plant. Common on the east slope at high and middle altitudes, on rock slides or open rocky hillsides. Oreg. to Mont.—Plants 5 to 15 cm. high, usually forming small dense mats; leaves rounded or broadly ovate, 5 to 15 cm. long, white, long-stalked; flowers3 to 4 mm. long, yellowish white, often tinged with pink.
The name "silver-plant" was applied to this and related species by prospectors because the plant was believed to indicate the presence of silver deposits.
328 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM.
Stems erect; Bepals with yellowish green edges.
Leaves oval or rounded, the upper ones not reduced . 12. P. achoreum.
Leaves oblong, the upper ones smaller than the lower ones.
13. P. ramosissimum.
1 Polygonum convolvulus L. Wild buckwheat. Occasional at low altitudes, in waste ground or on open slopes. Native of Eur.; widely naturalized in N. Azner. (Bil- derdykia convolvulus Dum.)—Slender glabrous annual; leaves 2 to 6 cm. long, slender- stalked, acute; flowers greenish white, in short loose racemes.
8 Polygonum muhlenbergii(Meisn.)S. Wats. Water smartweed. East entrance, about ponds on prairie. B. C. to Calif., Va., and Me. (Persicaria mvhlenbergii Small.)—
Stout perennial, 30 to 70 cm. high, the stems rooting below; leaves lanceolate, stalked, 5 to 15 cm. long; spikes 3 to 8 cm. long.
3. Polygonum amphibium L. Collected in lake near Helton by Umbach. Alaska to Calif., N. J., and Que. (Persicaria coccinea Greene.)—Usually floating in water;
leaves oblong, slender-stalked, 3 to 10 cm. long; spikes 1 to 3 cm. long.
4. Polygonum bistortoides Purah. Bistort. Common in moist meadows above timber line, rarely found in moist places at lower altitudes. B. C. to Calif., N. Mex., and Mont. (Bistorta bistortoides Small.)—Perennial with thick rootstocks, 35 to 40 cm. high, glabrous; basal leaves long-stalked, oblong, 6 to 15 cm. long, pale on the lower surface; spikes 1 to 5 cm. long; stamens projecting beyong the sepals.
The flowers are showy but they do not last long. The plants usually grow among grasses and sedges. The Blackfoot Indians used the roots in soups and stews.
5. Polygonum vivlparum T,. Alpine bistort. Plate 49, A. Frequent above timber line, in meadows and on rock slides; occasionally found in moist places at middle altitudes. Alaska to N. Mex., N. H., and Greenl.; also in Eur. and Asia.
(Bistorta vivipara S. F. Gray,)—Plants glabrous, 10 to 15 cm. high; basal leaves oblong, slender-stalked, 2 to 8 cm. long, obtuse; spikes 2 to 7 cm, long, the lower flowers re-
placed by small green bulblets.
6. Polygonum austlnae Greene. East entrance, in gravel along creek. Alta. to Wyo. and Calif.—Annual, 5 to 15 cm. high, slender, branched from the base; leaves 5 to 15 mm. long, bright green; flowers green, mostly in the axils of the leaves; bracts very small.
7. Polygonum engelmannii Greene. Dry brushy hillside near Sun Camp. B. C. to Colo.—Erect annual, 5 to 30 cm. high, densely branched from the base, very slender;
leaves 5 to 20 mm. long, the upper ones very small; sepals green, with whitish edges.
8. Polygonum douglasii Greene. Frequent at low and middle altitudes, in woods ot on open or brushy slopes. B. C. to Calif., N. Mex., N. Y., and Vt—Erect annual,
15 to 40 cm. high, slender; leaves 2 to 5 cm, long; sepals green, with white or pink edges.
Jh Polygonum polygaloides Meisn. Frequent on the east slope at low altitudes, on dry open hillsides. Wash, and Oreg. to Wyo, and Mont.—Erect annual, 4 to 12 cm. high, very slender; leaves linear, 1 to 2 cm. long; flowers 2 mm, long, white or pinkish.
10. Polygonum minimum S. Wats. Frequent at middle altitudes and sometimes above timber line, on open slopes or in woods or thickets. B. C. to Calif., Colo., and Mont.—Slender annual, 3 to 15 cm. high, usually branched, very leafy; leaves oval or obovate, 5 to 15 mm. long, bright green; flowers 1.5 to 2 mm. long, the sepals green, with pinkish edges.
11, Polygonum aviculare L. Knotweed. Common at low altitudes, on dry slopes or on prairie; often extending well up along the trails. Native of Eur. and Asia; widely naturalized in N. Amer. —Plants bluish green, much branched, usually prostrate but sometimes erect when young or when growing among other plants;
leaves oblong or lanceolate, 5 to 25 mm. long, obtuse; flowers 2 to 3 mm. long.
STANDLEY—FLORA OF GLACIER PARK 329
Plants found about dried-up ponds near the east entrance are noteworthy because of their very narrow, appressed leaves.
12. Polygonum achoreum Blake. Occasional about St. Mary and the east entrance, on dry open slopes or along roadsides. Mont, to Que.—Plants 15 to 30 cm. high, branched, glabrous; leaves 1 to 2 cm. long, rounded at the apex; flowers 3 mm. long.
13. Polygonnm ramosissimum Michx. Tall knot weed. Along the railroad near Bel ton; probably introduced. B. C, to Nev., N. Mex., and 111.—Annual, 20 to 50 cm. high, branched, glabrous, yellowish green; leaves 1 to 3 cm. long; flowers 3 mm. long.
3. RUMEX L. Docs.
Perennials or annuals, usually with thick roots or with rootstocks; leaves alternate;
flowers small, the staminate and pistillate ones sometimes on different plants; sepals 6, the 3 inner ones sometimes with a seedlike tubercle on the back.
Inner sepals deeply toothed or lobed.
Lower leaves notched at the base, broadly ovate; only one of the inner sepals with a tubercle; stems usually unbranched 1. B. obtusifolius.
Lower leaves narrowed at the base, lanceolate; all the inner sepals with tubercles;
stems much branched 2. R. maiitimus.
Inner sepals not toothed or lobed, or very minutely toothed.
Inner sepals each with a tubercle on the back.
Leaves dark green, wavy or ruffled; inner sepals minutely toothed in fruit.
3. R. crispus.
Leaves pale green, flat; inner sepals entire 4. R. mexicanus.
Inner sepals without tubercles.
Sepals in fruit 5 to 6 mm. wide; leaves without acid flavor; flowers all perfect.
6. R. occidental!:.
Sepals 3 mm. wide or less; leaves with acid flavor; staminate and pistillate flowers on separate plants.
Leaves narrowed at the base, without lobes or auricles . , 6 R paucifolius.
Leaves with auricles or lobes at the base.
Sepals not enlarged in fruit, the fruit projecting beyond them.
7. R. acetosella.
Sepals enlarged in fruit, much longer than the fruit 8. R. acetosa.
1. Rumex obtasifolius L. Bitter dock. A few plants near the chalets at St.
Mary. Native of Eur.; widely naturalized in N. Amer.—Plants 0.5 to 1 meter high, with thick roots; basal leaves 15 to 30 cm. long; sepals green, in fruit 5 mm. long, lobed about half way to the base, one of them with a tubercle.
2. Rumex maritimus L. Golden dock. East entrance, about dried-up pools on prairie; scarce. B. C. to Calif., N. C., and N. B.; also in Eur. and Asia.—Annual, 30 to 60 cm. high, finely hairy or nearly glabrous; .leaves 3 to 15 cm. long, stalked;
sepals green, about 2 mm. long, lobed nearly to the base, with 1 to 3 bristle-like lobes.
3. Rumex crispus L. Yellow dock. Rather rare, in thickets or waste ground at low altitudes, sometimes extending high up along trails. Native of Eur.; widely naturalized in N. Amer.—Perennial, 30 to 60 cm. high, with thick yellow roots;
leaves oblong or lanceolate, 15 to 30 cm. long, cordate to acute at base; sepals green, 3 to o mm. long.
The leaves are oft$n cooked and eaten as "greens."
4. Rumex mexicanus Meisn. Pale dock. Frequent at low altitudes, in wet open ground or thickets. B. 0. to Mex., Mo., and Lab.—Glabrous perennial, 30 to
70 cm. high, usually branched and often forming dense clumps; leaves lanceolate, 5 to 15 cm. long, acute at the base; sepals green, about 5 mm. long.
330 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM.
fi. Bnmex occid entails S. Wats. Mountain dock. Occasional on the east slope at low altitudes, in bogs or wet thickets. Alaska to Calif,, N. Mex., N. Dak., and
Lab.—Glabrous perennial, 0.5 to 1 meter high, with simple stems; leaves oblong- lanceolate, 10 to 30 cm. long, usually cordate at base; flowers in a narrow dense panicle; sepals reddish or purplish in fruit.
6. Bomex pauciiolius Nutt. Collected at east entrance by Umbach. B. C. to Calif., Colo., and Alta.—Glabrous perennial, 20 to 50 cm. high, with simple sterna;
leaves lanceolate or oblanceolate, 3 to 10 cm. long; flowers usually tinged with red.
7. Bumex acetosella L. Sheep sorrel. Common at low altitudes, in open places or in woods; often extending high up along the trails. Native of Eur.; widely naturalized in N. Amer.—Perennial, 10 to 60 cm. high, with creeping roots tocks, often much branched from the base, slender; leaves 3 to 10 cm, long, most of them with 2 spreading lobes at the base; flowers about 1 mm. long, usually deep red or purplish.
In some places very abundant and forming dense patches.
8. Burner acetosa L. Sous dock. Frequent above timber line on rock slides;
sometimes in wet meadows at low and middle altitudes. Alaska to Mont.; also in Eur., and naturalized in eastern N. Amer.—Glabrous perennial, 0.2 to 1 meter high, with short rootstocks; leaves oblong or ovate, 3 to 10 cm. long, usually cordate at the
base, the stem leaves clasping; sepals tinged with red.
In many books the statement is made that this species is wholly adventive in North America, but it is certainly native in Montana, and doubtless also in Alaska and western Canada.
4. OXYBIA Hill.
1. Oxyria dlgyna (L.) Hill. Mountain sorrel. Abundant above timber line, on dopes or rock slides; occasionally found at middle elevations, and scattered plants occur about the east entrance. Alaska to Calif., N. Mex., Alta., N. H., and Green!.;
also in Eur. and Asia.—Perennial, 5 to 30 cm. high, often forming dense clumps;
leaves mostly at base of stem, long-stalked, kidney-shaped, 1 to 3 cm. broad; flowers panicled, green tinged with red, the 4 sepals 4 to 6 mm. wide.
A characteristic plant of alpine rock slides, conspicuous because of the red coloring of the flowers. The succulent leaves have a pleasant acid flavor; they can be used in salads and sandwiches. Ptarmigan are fond of the flowers, and many of the plants
are cropped by animals, presumably sheep and goats.
26. CHENOPODIACEAE. Goosefoot Family,
Annual herbs with succulent leaves; flowers small, greenish, the calyx of 2 to 5 sepals; corolla none; fruit small, 1-seeded.
Leaves, at least the lower ones, opposite; fruit inclosed by 2 green bracts.