78 NATIVE VEGETATION AS AN INDICATOR 



to a distance of 4 to 8 inches from the base. The leaves 

 are toothed or have numerous leaflets along the main axis 

 of the leaf. 



Myosurus apetalus (Gay) . Mousetail is a very small 

 annual herb with a tuft of spatulate entire leaves, with no 

 apparent stem, surrounding a simple solitary five-petaled 

 flower borne on a stem i to 2 inches high. It is found in 

 wet saline places throughout the western states. 



Pluchea borealis. Arrow, or irrigation, weed is a com- 

 posite with a brushlike head supported on numerous 

 hairy-covered, silvery, willow-like branches 4 to 8 inches 

 high. Common along sandy or porous, deep, well-drained 

 banks of streams or similar soils elsewhere. 



Pluchea camphorata (L) DC. Plowman's wort is a 

 spicy, or salt marsh, Fleabane found in the marshes of 

 Texas and Mexico. 



Pyrrocoma (Null.). Perennial herbs with alternate 

 leaves and showy many-flowered heads of yellow flowers 

 in the axils of the upper leaves or at the end of the branch. 

 Plants generally from 4 to 8 inches high. Found through- 

 out the Rocky Mountains. 



Salicornia spp. Dwarf samphire is a low scaly-leafed 

 but nearly leafless fleshy plant with cylindrical, many- 

 jointed stems, and* opposite branches. Frequent on 

 saline land near lakes and ponds. 



Sarcobatus vermiculatus. Greasewood of inter- 

 mountain country found on moist saline flats, patches of 

 which generally appear a much brighter green than most 

 saline vegetation except in fall when it changes to a yel- 

 lowish color. It has numerous sharp spines at the base 

 of which are small fleshy leaves with a bitter salty taste. 

 It is a rigidly branched shrub about 2 to 8 feet high with a 

 smooth whitish bark. 



