42 postelsia 



their way up narrow canons or else 

 over the passes, which may be from 

 200 to 500 meters higher than the 

 parks themselves. This peculiar situa- 

 tion of the parks leads to a paucity 

 of plants from lower altitudes and an 

 abundance of more peculiarly mountain 

 forms. On account of the somewhat 

 greater rainfall, there is a nearer ap- 

 proach to mesophytic conditions than 

 in the lower foothills. Many plants 

 which, at lower altitudes, seek the protec- 

 tion of narrow gulches are here able to 

 thrive in the open. The blue colum- 

 bine {Aquilegia ccerulea), one of our 

 most conspicuous and well known plants, 

 is quite abundant in many places. 



In the parks there are generally some 

 small stretches of meadow land along 

 the streams with abundant growth of 

 sedges and grasses. Willows, poplars 

 and alders fringe the creeks and ditches. 



