IMPORTANT BANGE PLANTS. 49 



brown; leaflets 5 to 9, smooth or slightly hairy, light green on the 

 lower side. As shown in Plate XL VII, the flower clusters are 

 convex, as broad as high, the flowers white, fruit shiny black, 

 without bloom. In the lower elevations this species is associated 

 with blue elder (S. glauca), which is readily distinguished by the 

 white pith in the year-old stems, the treelike form of the older 

 plants, the flat-topped flower clusters and the chalky bloom on the 

 black berries which gives them a bluish appearance— thus the name 

 blue elder. 



Mountain elder is most abundant on hillsides, in the bottom of 

 mountain canyons, in ravines, and along brooks and mountain 

 streams in fertile, friable, gravelly soils of varying degrees of mois- 

 ture. It occurs in the Transition and Hudsonian zones, but is 

 more abundant in the Canadian, often in association with ninebark 

 (Opulaster pauciflorus), western larch, Douglas fir, and open stands 

 of lodgepole pine. It prefers open situations, though partial shade 

 does not prevent luxuriant growth. 



The attractive white-flower clusters begin to show about July 15 

 on the higher ranges, and earlier on the lower ones. About Sep- 

 tember 1 most of the berries have reached full development. These 

 are eaten by birds and a few mammals, a wide dissemination of the 

 seeds being thus insured. No germination tests were made of this 

 species, but observations on the range show that it is reproducing 

 well. 



As a browse it is as valuable, though not nearly so abundant, 

 as willow. In localities where the two are associated elder is browsed 

 first. Because of its low branching habits and the unusual relish 

 with which it is browsed there is danger of mountain elder being 

 eaten too closely. A common example of such a condition is shown 

 in Plate XLVIII. 



Mountain elder is also highly relished by sheep and is grazed with 

 relish at times by cattle. It occurs mainly in the Transition zone, 

 but never in great abundance, and therefore is not highly important 

 as a browsing plant. 



Valerian. 

 ( Valeriana sitchensis.) 



Valerian is one of the most characteristic plants on old burns in 

 the Hudsonian and upper Canadian zones where the soil has not 

 been rendered sterile and the moisture conditions are about average. 

 It is a perennial and attains a height of from 1 to 2 feet; the stem is 

 slender with usually three pairs of pinnately compound leaves, the 

 lower long-petioled (Plate XLIX). The flower cluster is dense and 

 contracted, the corolla tubular and pinkish white; from the woody, 

 85154°— Bull. 545—17 7 



