272 CONTKIBUTIOIsrS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



soon after a rain they become bright green. The well-known resurrection plant is a 



species of this genus which grows in Texas and Mexico. 



Stems laxly cespitose, with numerous elongate ascending cordlike branches. 



1. S. wallacei. 

 Stems densely cespitose, the branches short and congested. 



Plants bronze-green; apical bristle stout, yellowish throughout . . . 2. S. standleyi. 



Plants ashy-green; apical bristle white, at least above the base. 

 Apical bristle 0.3 to 0.5 mm. long, white from a yellowish base . 3. S. montanensis. 

 Apical bristle 0.6 to 1.5 mm. long, white throughout 4. S. densa. 



1. Selaginella wallacei Hieron. Common or abundant on the east slope at low 

 and middle altitudes and sometimes above timber line, on open, grassy or rocky 

 slopes, on dry hilltops, and in dry meadows. B. C. to Calif, and Mont. — Stems 3 to 

 10 cm. long, loosely branched; leaves pale green at first, yellowish when dry, linear- 

 oblong, 2.5 mm. long or shorter, with 7 to 12 cilia on each side; fertile spikes 1.5 cm. 

 long or shorter. 



2. Selaginella standleyi Maxon. Frequent above timber line, on moist open rocky 

 slopes. Alta. and Mont. — Stems prostrate, 6 cm. long, or less, pinnately branched; 

 leaves dull green, oblong-linear, 2.1 to 2.5 mm. long, with 10 to 14 cilia on each side; 

 fertile spikes 7 to 11 mm. long. 



3. Selaginella montanensis Hieron. Frequent at all altitudes, often occurring 

 above timber line; on open rocky slopes or bare rocks or in moist alpine meadows. 

 B. C. and Wash, to Mont, and Colo. — Stems prostrate, short-creeping, 3 to 10 cm. 

 long; leaves pale glaucous when young, yellowish cinerascent in age, linear-oblong, 

 with 6 to 9 cilia on each side. 



4. Selaginella densa Rydb. Common at low altitudes, especially on prairie. 

 B. C. to Utah and N. Mex. — Stems usually short and densely tufted; leaves pale 

 green at first, dark grayish in age, linear-oblong, 2 to 3.5 mm. long, with 5 to 12 cilia 

 on each side; spikes 1 to 3 cm. long. 



On the dry rocky fiats at St. Mary this is one of the most common plants, densely 

 covering large patches of ground. The bristles of the apical leaves form conspicu- 

 ous soft white tufts at the ends of the branches. 



6. TAXACEAE. Yew Family. 



1. TAXTJS L. 



1. Taxus brevifolia Nutt. Western yew. Plate 47, A. Common on the west 

 slope, at low and middle altitudes. Alaska to Calif, and Mont. — Usually a shrub, 1 

 to 4 meters high, but sometimes a small tree, the branches spreading from the base 

 and often procumbent; bark brownish and smooth, or on old branches pui-plish and 

 flaky; leaves 2-ranked, spreading, linear, sharp-pointed, 1 to 2 cm. long, yellowish 

 green; fruit red, fleshy, cuplike, nearly inclosing the large naked seed. 



This species reaches the eastern limit of its range in Glacier Park. It is one of the 

 characteristic shrubs of the west slope, growing only in the heavier forest, where it 

 often fonns dense thickets, with young hemlocks. In its foliage the plant closely 

 resembles tlie firs and spruces, but the fleshy fruit and small size, as well as the 

 peculiar green of the leaves, enable one to distinguish it readily. The fruit is sweet 

 and rather insipid. It is not advisable to eat much of it, for the yews hai^e the repu- 

 tation of being poisonous. Their poisonous properties are not well understood, how- 

 ever, and in many localities the trees are considered quite harmless, stock sometimes 

 eating the branches with impunity. The fruit, too, is eaten by birds. 



