STANDLEY— FLORA OF GLACIER PARK. 367 



cm. long, toothed; petals about 1 cm. long; fruit 6 to 10 mm. long, purple or nearly 

 black, with a pale bloom. 



Known also as juneberry and shadbush. The flowers appear early in the sea- 

 son. The fruit is edible but of rather insipid flavor; in dry places it is small and 

 almost mealj'', but in damp situations it is large and very juicy. It was much used 

 by the Indians of the West, who often dried the fruit for use in winter. Among the 

 Blackfoot Indians serviceberries were the most important vegetable food. They 

 were employed, either fresh or dried, in soups or stews. In exposed places the 

 shrubs are sometimes dwarfed and prostrate. 



44. AMYGDALACEAE. Almond Family. 



1. PRUNUS L. 



Shrubs or trees; leaves alternate, petioled, finely toothed; flowers white, in 

 racemes or corymbs; sepals and petals each 5; stamens 15 to 30; fruit juicy, con- 

 taining a single seedlike stone. — The cultivated plums, prunes, and cherries belong 

 to this genus, and almonds, apricots, and peaches are closely related. 

 Flowers few, in corymbs; petals about 7 mm. long; leaves with rounded teeth. 



1. P. corymbulosa. 



Flowers numerous, in racemes, these leafy at the base; petals about 5 mm. long; 



leaves with acute teeth 2. P. melanocarpa. 



1. Prunus corymbulosa Rydb. Pin cherry. Common on the west slope at low 

 or middle altitudes, on open rocky slopes. Mont, and Wyo. — Shrub, 0.5 to 1.5 meters 

 high; leaves ovate or lanceolate, 3 to 8 cm. long, acute, glabrous; flow^ers 3 to 6 in 

 each cluster; fruit oval, red or red and yellow, nearly 1 cm. long. 



In 1919, probably because of the dry season, few bushes bore any fruit. The fruit 

 is extremely bitter. 



2. Prunxis melanocarpa (A. Nels.) Rydb. Chokecherry. Common at low 

 altitudes and occasional at middle elevations, usually on open slopes but sometimes 

 in woods or along lakes and streams. B. C. to Calif., N. Mex., and N. Dak. — Shrub, 

 0.5 to 2 meters high or (on the west slope) sometimes a small tree; leaves oval or 

 obovate, 4 to 8 cm. long, obtuse or acute, pale beneath, glabrous or nearly so; fruit 

 6 to 8 mm. long, red to nearly black. 



The fruit is edible, but the flesh is scant and the flavor is somewhat bitter. Among 

 the Blackfoot Indians chokecherries were eaten raw, and they were added to soups, 

 or, pounded up, seeds and all, they were mixed with dried meat (pemmican). The 

 bark was used medicinally. 



45. FABACEAE. Bean Family. 



Annual or perennial herbs; leaves alternate, compound, with 3 or more leaflets; 

 stipules present; calyx of 5 or 4 more or less united sepals, often 2-lipped; corolla 

 shaped like that of a bean or pea; petals 5, the upper one (standard) broader than the 

 others, the 2 lateral ones (wings) curved upward, the 2 lowest ones (keel) more or 

 less united; stamens usually 10, sometimes 9; fruit a legume (more or less like that 

 of a bean or pea), 1 or 2-celled, usually opening along both edges. — The name 

 Leguminosae is often used for the family. 

 Leaves with 3 or more leaflets all attached at the end of the leaf stalk. 



Leaflets 5 or more 1. LUPINUS. 



Leaflets 3. 



Leaflets not toothed; flowers yellow; pod long and narrow. 2. THEEMOPSIS. 

 Leaflets finely toothed; flowers yellow, white, pink, or red-purple; pod very 

 short and small. 



Flowers in heads 3. TRIFOLIUM. 



Flowers (yellow) in slender racemes 4. MELILOTUS. 



