Bailey a: Bailey: Woody Plants of National Parks 133 



Spiraea, Meadowsweet (Spiraea L.) 



The generic name, Spiraea, comes from an old world species which had 

 spirally twisted fruits. In the western national parks the spiraeas are mostly 

 low shrubs with showy clusters of tiny white or rose-pink flowers. The flow- 

 ering period is long for most of the species, extending over most of the 

 summer season. For this reason they are among the more conspicuous of 

 the flowering plants usually seen by visitors to the northern parks. The herb- 

 age does not furnish very good browse for animals, but is eaten to a certain 

 extent, especially after frost. Some species are widely cultivated. 



Field Guide to the Species 



Flower clusters flat-topped or slightly rounded. 



Flowers white; shrub with erect stems 1 to 3 feet high from a creeping root- 

 stock; common in the Rocky Mountains and at Mount Ramier 



National Park 1. 5. lucida. 



Flowers rose-pmk; a widely-branched bushy shrub 1 to 4^/2 feet high; com- 

 mon on Pacific Slope 2. 5. densiflora. 



Flower-clusters elongate-cylindric. 



Leaves smooth above and below; flowers white or pink. 



Leaves sharply-toothed nearly to base, sharp-pointed at the tips; flower- 

 clusters rather broad at base; flowers white or pinkish; eastern 



species 3. S. lalifolia. 



Leaves toothed above middle, blunt-pointed at tips; flower-clusters narrow; 



flowers rose-pmk; western species 4. 5. Menziesi. 



Leaves smooth above, white-cottony below; flowers rose-pink 5. .S. Dduglasi. 



L Shinyleaf Spiraea (Spiraea lucida Dougl.), fig. 69. — Low shrub, 

 1 to 3 feet high, usually with single erect stems from trailing rootstocks; 

 leaves elliptic to egg-shaped, ^^ ^° 2 inches long, coarsely toothed towards the 

 tip, smooth on both sides; flowers small, white, borne in dense flat-topped 

 clusters at the ends of erect stems; found at low and middle altitudes, com- 

 monly in dry open places as m burned-over areas. This is one of the most 

 common shrubs in Glacier National Park. Insects frequently cause galls to 

 form in the flowers, making them appear as if in fruit. 



Occurrence. — MOUNT RAINIER. 3.500 to 5.000 feet. GLACIER, abundant in open 

 places, 3,500 to 7.000 feet: head of Waterton Valley; Swiftcurrent Lake and Valley; 

 Two Medicine Valley; Cut Bank Valley; Lake McDonald. YELLOWSTONE, occa- 

 sional: 2 miles from east entrance; north of Ashton, Idaho; Yellowstone Lake. GRAND 

 TETON: trail to Phelps Lake, near snowshoe cabin, 6,700 feet; Teton Pass. 



2. SuBALPlNE Spiraea (Spiraea densiflora Nutt.), fig. 70. — Erect, spread- 

 ing shrub, 1 to 5 feet high; leaves elliptic to egg-shaped, V/i, to 2 inches long, 

 toothed at least towards the tip, smooth or very finely hairy; flowers deep 

 rose-pink, sweet-scented, borne in flat-topped clusters at the ends of the 

 branches, the clusters about 1 to 2 inches across; shrubs often forming rather 

 extensive patches in meadows or on rocky slopes or ridges at high elevations. 

 (Syn. S. splendens Baum.). 



