26 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF [Feb., 



of which one of the best known and most widely distributed is the 

 common greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus) . Of similar habit and 

 abundance is Halostachys occidentalis. Along with these, among other 

 abundant plants of the same family, occur Sueda depressa and espe- 

 cially the peculiar glasswort or samphire (Salicornia herbacea), which 

 in marshy saline ground nourishes over wide areas about the Great 

 Salt Lake and forms, with its brightly colored, fleshy stems, a pleasing 

 feature of the landscape. 



Farther back from the playas are found the chenopods Eurotia 

 lanata, the white sage, the familiar and excessively abundant Grayda 

 polygaloides, the larger spinescent Shepherdia argentea, several species 

 of Atriplex and others. 



Intermingling to some extent with the last-mentioned forms, and 

 beyond the alkaline soil of their preference wholly predominant, is the 

 ever common sage-brush {Artemisia tridentata). This form almost 

 completely usurps the better soil of the valleys and plains and extends 

 far up on the mountain sides. With the sage-brush, over the gravelly 

 foot-hills, are also found Tetradymia canescens, Purshia tridentata and 

 Cowania mexicana. In the swales and other places favored by the 

 drainage Bigelovia is a common plant. The smaller suffrutescent 

 rabbit-brush or torch-weed, Guttierezia, abounds almost everywhere 

 and often forms a conspicuous feature over large areas. Among the 

 Artemisias occur here and there the brilliantly flowered cacti, and, 

 during the early summer, such herbaceous forms as the common 

 Phlox longifolia, various Gilias, Phacelias, Lithospermums and Echino- 

 spermums, Oenotheras, Allium, several species of Astragalus, the 

 gaudily flowered Balsamorrhiza sagittata and other Composite, with 

 later in the season, in most parts, the beautiful sego lily, Calochortus 

 nuttalli. 



The lower mountains, like the valleys, are chiefly destitute of trees 

 and are overgrown with bush and shrub of kinds occurring on the 

 foot-hills or with these, because of the more exposed situation, more 

 scattered and dwarfed. On the higher mountains, however, coniferous 

 woods occur in often wide tracts. At lower levels the cedar (Juniperus) 

 is everywhere common, as at higher levels is the spruce. The nut 

 pine, of so much importance formerly to the Indians, is abundant in 

 certain ranges, of which should be mentioned especially the Deep 

 Creek Mountains. The mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), 

 also much used in earlier times by the Gosiutes, is widespread. Among 

 herbaceous forms common over the mountains are such as Ferula 

 multifida, species of Peucedanum, the much prized Carum gairdneri 



