NO. I 



SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS^ I9I9 



37 



ing the vegetation of the region. The information thus obtained is 

 to serve as the basis of a popular account of the plants to be published 

 by the National Park Service, and it is expected that a complete and 

 more technical account of the flora will be published by the National 

 Museum. All the portions of the Park usually seen by tourists were 

 explored, and 4,000 specimens of flowering plants and ferns were 

 obtained, representing over 900 species. 



Aside from the scenic features of Glacier Park, one of its chief 

 attractions is found in the plant life. Especially striking is the dis- 

 play of flowers above or near timber line, where the meadows are 

 solid masses of brilliant color, formed by Indian paint-brushes. 



Fig. S7- — Beargrass, Glacier National Park. 



monkey-flowers, fleabane, asters, harebells, heather, larks])ur, gen- 

 tians, fireweed, columbine, and a host of other plants. The most 

 characteristic plant, perhaps, is the beargrass (Xerophylhtm teiiax, 

 fife- 37) y which occurs abundantly at middle altitudes and in alpine 

 meadows. It is usually about 3 feet high and bears enormous plume- 

 like racemes of creamy-white flowers. The narrow, tough leaves 

 were used by the northwestern Indians in making baskets, hence the 

 name of Indian basket-grass which is sometimes applied to the plant. 

 The Continental Divide, which traverses the Park, has a marked 

 influence upon plant distribution. On the east slope, whose drainage 

 is partly into the Missouri River and partly into Hudson Bay, the 

 flora is of the Rocky ]\Iountain type. Like that of Wyoming and Colo- 



