PLANTS OF THE FLORISSANT REGION IN 

 COLORADO ^ 



By Francis Ramaley 



The vicinity of Florissant, Colo., is a region of considerable botan- 

 ical interest. It offers a good example of a xerophytic^ flora at high 

 altitude. To those who live in Colorado, or in other Rocky Mountain 

 states, the plants in general would be familiar, yet there are some plants 

 of striking appearance which do not extend even to northern Colorado. 



The present paper is not intended as a contribution to knowledge, 

 but is merely an attempt to describe the general aspect of the region 

 as affected by the plant life. Whoever stops to think of the scenery 

 of any country will probably think first of mountains and seas. Yet 

 for the scenery of everyday hfe the plant population is very important. 

 A region green with abundant carpet of grasses and herbs has a very 

 different aspect from one which is timber- clad or one which is gray 

 with sage-brush. A person who tramps over the hills or along the 

 stream-banks will find the landscape ever changing with the different 

 plants which he encounters. 



In the following pages are described some of the more salient fea- 

 tures which give botanical interest to the Florissant region. The 

 half-tone reproductions are all made from the author's negatives, 

 selected to show the larger landscape features, and also a few of the 

 more interesting species in greater detail. As the writer's visit was 

 made in late July and early August, the account will refer to plants 

 seen at that time. 



The town of Florissant is situated at an altitude of about 8,000 

 feet above sea-level in the basin of a Tertiary lake. It is about forty 

 miles west of Colorado Springs and is reached by the Colorado Mid- 

 land railway. A creek flows westward through the town, receiving 



» It b intended that this popular account of the plants in the Florissant region will be supplemented later 

 with a more detailed description. 

 » fijpos, "dry," <t>vT6v, "plant." 



177 



