1826, APRIL MAY. PLANTS COLLECTED 167 



21th, 28th. Showers of rain; raw and cold; snow on the hills. 

 Continued my walks in quest of plants : 



(37) Erythronium grandiflorum of Pursh; this exceedingly beautiful 

 plant came under my notice fifteen or sixteen days ago, but being not 

 then in blossom I took it for Fritillaria ; abundant over all the undulating 

 country, under the shade of solitary pines, in light dry soils ; it has a 

 most splendid effect in conjunction with Dodecatheon and a small species 

 of Pulmonaria ', omit not to procure seed and roots of such a desirable 

 plant. 



(38) Claytonia lanceolata 1 (Pursh) ; abundant in all open pine- woods, in 

 light soils ; its small roots are eaten by the natives, both in a raw state 

 and cooked by roasting in the embers ; when raw it is bitter and in every 

 shape an insipid root ; this species is different from most others of the 

 genus, as it is seldom seen luxuriant in rich soils such as near old villages 

 or encampments. 



Saturday 29th, Sunday 30th, Monday, May 1st. Weather changeable, 

 showery ; maximum 56, minimum 28. As usual, always on my walks 

 and generally adding one or two to the numbers. 



(39) Pinus Larix 2 ; abundant in the valleys ; I have already observed 

 that its size is much greater than any on the other side of the continent. 



(40) Shepherdia (Nuttall), Hippophae (Pursh) ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, 

 deciduous, covered with rusty scales on the under side and stellately 

 silky on the upper ; stamens eight, situated between the calyx and the 

 eight glands ; an upright slender shrub, 5 to 10 feet high, inhabiting 

 the subalpine grounds under partially shady woods; I am for the 

 present unable to find the female. 3 



(41) Diandria, Monogynia ; perennial ; calyx tripartite ; capsule two- 

 celled ; seeds unknown ; radical leaves cordate, serrate, glabrous, on long 

 petioles, cauline sessile or somewhat amplexicaul, with small ovate bractea 

 at each flower ; filaments red ; a plant 1 to 2 feet high, flowering in a 

 spike ; found abundantly on the plains among grass and several species 

 of Artemisia and other Syngenesia not yet in blossom. 



(42) Claytonia alsinoides 4 (Pursh) ; flowers small, white ; a small 

 plant ; found on all rich soils near rivers. 



Tuesday, May 2nd. Rainy throughout the day, and a heavy fall of 

 snow on the hills. 



Wednesday and Thursday, May 3rd and ith. Made a walk on the 

 southern banks of the river on the 3rd and in the opposite direction on 

 the 4th. Observed and collected as follows : two species of Rosa, one 

 strong upright bush with red wood, destitute of spines ; one small prickly 

 on rocky places, neither of the leaves expanded. A luxuriant evergreen 

 shrub, with ovate, serrate, and smooth leaves, probably Clethra, abundant 



1 Claytonia caroliniana var. sessilifolia, S. Wats. Bibl. N. Am. Bot. p. 117. 



2 Larix occidentalis, Mast, in Journ. R. Hort. Soc. xiv. p. 218. 



* 3 Shepherdia of Nuttall. I have with much care, but in vain, endeavoured to find 

 this curious species in perfect fruit, although the males and females are usually seen 

 together. (August 15th.) 



4 Claytonia sibirica, S. Wats. Bibl. Ind. N. Am. Bot. p. 119. 



* Footnote made by Douglas. ED. 



