276 Flora of the Olympics. [ZOE 
ber’s poles” ( Al/otropa virgata) and coral-root ( Corallorhiza Mer- 
tensiana) were sticking up everywhere. Here first appeared the myr- 
tle-leaved huckleberry ( Vaccinium myrtilloides ), the fruit of which 
is a luscious berry equally prized by white or Indian, though the 
bush was now hardly past the flowering stage. As we mounted 
higher and higher, the trees grew more scanty and stunted, with 
‘glades here and there. Presently were found occasional shoots of 
the small-leaved huckleberry ( Vaccinium Myrtillus var. microphyl- 
Zum), the modest little mountain wintergreen or salal ( Gaultheria 
ovatifolia) and the downy bramble (Rudus lassiococcus). In the 
more opén, loose soil were growing a pretty sedge (Carex deflexa 
var. media), and one of the showiest and most common Lupines 
near the snow line, Z. rivudaris. Steeper and more arduous grew the 
ascent, for a fire had killed the now scattered trees, thus taking from 
us all shelter from the intense rays of the sun, and making the soil 
so loose that our feet sank ankle deep at every step. The fire had 
gone through this place the previous year, and though it had de- 
stroyed nearly all vegetation, the deep roots of the elk-grass had 
not been injured, and it was out in thick magnificence. The beauty 
of this plant I have previously described. Veritable snow-balls 
they appear perched upon the summits of their green and purple 
stems. Soon vast banks of snow were reached, as the slope went — 
down toward the north, and immediately a new set of flowers ap- 
peared. Ona little sunny bank, peering out of the snow like an 
islet from the sea, was the pretty alpine buttercup (Ranunculus 
Eschscholtzti). Then began one of the most singular mixtures of 
mountain and valley flowers that I had ever witnessed; common 
yellow violet ( Viola glabella), white adder’s tongue ( Lrythronium 
revolutum), yew (Taxus brevifolia) in flower, a lily (Prosartes 
Oregana) just flowering, baneberry (Actea spicata var. arguta), 
meadow-rue, just flowering, sweet-herb, western barberry or Oregon 
grape (Berberis nervosa), all low altitude plants, common all about 
Portland or Olympia, there grew in strange incongruity with the 
gooseberry ( Ribes lacustre var. parvulum), an alpine currant ( Ribes 
laxiflorum), alpine valerian ( Valeriana Stichensis), alpine wood- 
rush (Luzula parviflora, an alpine form), and the two alpine mitre- 
worts (AMitella trifidaand M. Breweri). The two next found, 
smooth maple (Acer glabrum), and an umbelliferous plant, Glycosma 
ambiguum, seem equally at home at the snow line or along our rivers 
at low altitudes. 
