204 BLUE TO PURPLE 



up from the base of the plant. In the second place, the keel 

 of the Astragalus flower is rounded, whereas that of the Oxy- 

 tropis is very pointed. 



A. Jiypoglottis, or Purple Vetch, ver}' closely resembles the 

 preceding species, but may be distinguished from it by the fact 

 that its leaflets are indented or notched at the tips, whereas 

 those of the Ascending Vetch are slightly rounded and per- 

 fectly entire. 



A. alpimis, or Alpine Vetch, is a dainty pale mauve species, 

 with small loosely flowered heads and delicate foliage. It is 

 frequently found at very high altitudes. 



A. Macounii, or Macoun's Vetch, is a tall plant with sparse 

 foliage and a few long loosely flowered heads of pale mauve, 

 or white tinged and edged with mauve. The stems grow very 

 erect and are quite slender. It usually is found in rocky places. 



A. coiivallariiis, or Slender Vetch, is a lovely fragile species, 

 quite unmistakable by reason of its \-ery fine grass-like stems, 

 tiny, narrow, silky leaflets, and little, scanty, pinkish-mauve 

 blossoms, that grow far apart in long slender racemes, giving 

 the plant a beautiful feathery appearance. 



INFLATED OXYTROPE 



Oxytropis podocarpa. Pea Family 



Acaulescent, or nearly so, villoiis-pubesccnt. Leaves: pinnate; leaflets 

 linear, ol)tuse. Flowers: peduncles one-to-two flowered, scarcely exceed- 

 ing the leaves; calyx densely dark-pubescent: petals clawed : standard 

 erect ; wings oblong; keel erect, its apex mucronate. Fruit : pods much 

 inflated, ovoid, sessile in the calyx. 



An arctic and alpine ])lant, which grows only from one to 

 four inches high and has xiolet flowers and tin)- \er\- hairy 

 stalks and leaves. The main stems grow partl\- underground 

 and are imbricated, — that is to saw the\' are coxered with 

 numerous small overlapping leax'es ; but the j-xxls are the most 

 noticeable feature, being abnormally large and inflated. This 

 plant is frequently foimd growing Hat upon the ground. 



