BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 285 



BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



Notes on the Vegetation and general character of the 

 Missouri and Oregon Territories, made during a 

 Botanical Journey in the State of Missouri, and across the 

 South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, to the Pacific, 

 during the years 1843 and 1844 ; by Charles A. Geyer. 



{Continued from p. 208, Vol. V.) 



Mountain region. — Along the grassy slope of this valley 

 grow a great number of plants of my collection. Lathyrus 

 624 is the most showy of the few Leguminosa here, and of 

 very rank growth. No Lupinus grows in this cool loamy 

 soil. The most abundant is the Hosackia Purshiana, which 

 fronts the inundated meadow valley, on rocky ground, joining 

 the narrow Indian trail, on the other side of which runs a 

 meadow a mile long bordered by Clintonia elegans, rivalling 

 the bright azure above, (July.) With the diffuse dense 

 Hosackia groups grow erect the Crucifera 234, in fine contrast 

 with the deep blue flowers of Gamassia esculenta, appearing 

 under the shade of some poplars, and with the aforesaid 

 Clintonia. Here also I gathered the Graminea 320, which is 

 very rare. On slight elevations grows the clustered Trillium 

 291, a curious species; sometimes there are a dozen or more 

 from one joint of the rhizoma, all their stems in the ground. 

 Here again grow profusely Fritillarice 315 and 599, with 

 Erythronium 601, lasting three weeks or longer in bloom, 

 which is a rare occurrence in the flora of this region. An- 

 other somewhat rocky elevation, harboured three other rare 

 little plants, the Biscutella 607, Apargia 292, and Cyno- 

 glossum 290, every where surrounded with masses of the 

 white Dodecatheon, Saxifraga 619 and 625, among which is 

 seen now and then a bush of Espeletia helianlhoides and 

 Batschia Torreyi? (605). 



By ascending the wooded terraced slopes of the inoun- 



