48 BULLETIN 545, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



is the most highly relished as well as the most abundant of the 

 various species on the high range lands of the Wallowa National 

 Forest. 



Blue beardtongue is a perennial with conspicuous lateral running 

 rootstocks which send out a number of shoots reaching a height 

 of 4 to 12 inches. The whole plant is smooth and somewhat shiny; 

 the lower leaves are long petioled, smaller than those arising from 

 the middle of the stem; the upper leaves are small and without 

 leaf stalks (Plate XL VI). Thee flowers, usually 5 in a cluster, are 

 arranged in whorls. The bright blue corolla is lipped, the lower 

 lip bearded within. As in all beardtongues, one of the five stamens 

 is sterile, and in this species it is distinctly bearded also. 



This plant is conspicuous in the Hudsonian zone, though it grows 

 in varying abundance at lower altitudes. Open parks and medium 

 moist meadows of deep, loose, but well-drained soils are the favorite 

 habitats. In moisture requirement it resembles wild celery (Ligus- 

 ticum oreganum), with which it is commonly associated. In the 

 characteristic soil type in which blue beardtongue grows, wilting 

 beyond recovery does not occur until the soil-water content is 

 reduced to from 10 to as low as 8 per cent. 



The flowers begin to open about July 10, and all are out by August 

 15. About the time the last flowers expand the first matured seeds 

 are found, though, of course, on different plants. The seed tested 

 in 1909 showed a viability of 18.5 per cent. In previous years no 

 germination studies were made. Under favorable conditions on 

 protected ranges, however, reproduction is excellent, and it is appar- 

 ent that this plant will increase in abundance under the deferred- 

 grazing system. 



Blue beardtongue seems to be eaten by sheep with more eagerness 

 than any of its allied species. Since its growth begins promptly in 

 the spring, it furnishes a fair portion of the valuable early forage. 

 The leaves, but not the stems, are eaten even after the seeds have 

 matured, though they are not as palatable as earlier in the summer. 

 The plant is of highest value for grazing between about July 15 and 

 August 20. 



Besides the blue beardtongue three species of Pentstemon, P. deus- 

 tus, P. fruticosus, and P. venustus, all grazed at certain times in the 

 season, are common in the Wallowa Mountains. 



Mountain Elder. 



(Sambucus melanocarpa.) 



Mountain elder is a shrub with stems 3 to 6 feet high rising in 

 profusion from a common crown; twigs of one year old growth 

 smooth, shiny green-brown and slightly angled, the pith yellow- 

 brown; bark of the older branches rather thick, rough, dark yellow- 



