YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 



29 



(blu 



(blue) 



WILD ONION 



HERBS. 



Wild Onion (Allium). There are several species 

 of wild onion in the Park, but they resemble each 

 other so closely that a single description will suffice 

 for all of them. The flowers are generally purple, but 

 there are also blue species and even white ones. They 

 are grouped into small, round-topped clusters at the 

 summits of smooth, round stems between six and 

 twelve inches in height. The leaves are round and 

 hollow, like those of cultivated onion, but more slen- 

 der. The flavor and scent are comparatively mild. 



Camass (Camassia). The camass, a very beauti- 

 ful plant of the lily family, is found very abundantly 

 in moist places. From an underground bulb there 

 arises a group of narrow, lance-shaped, parallel-veined 

 leaves about six or eight inches long, and in the midst 

 of these is the flower-stem or scape, twelve to fifteen 

 inches high. There are a dozen or so flowers on the 

 stem, each a delicate, lily-shaped bloom with narrow 

 petals about three-quarters of an inch long, of a 

 strong, bright blue color. The bright yellow pollen- 

 sacs of the stamens make an effective contrasting 

 touch. Camass bulbs were formerly a staple article 

 of food among the Indians, and are still much sought 

 after by bears. 



