JUNE RAMBLES IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 
BY E. L, GREENE. 
In the latitude of central Colorado, there is not a more charming 
season for botanizing among the lower mountains, than the first of 
June. The snow-drifts which lingered so long in many places 
have now entirely disappeared ; and the few impatient flowers that 
came out in defiance of April’s frosts and chilly winds, have given 
place to an almost innumerable host of others. The pines and 
spruces are sending out their fragrant shoots with tender foliage, 
and a number of most beautiful deciduous shrubs are.in their per- 
fection of flower and leaf. In passing among the foot-hills, toward 
the mountains, one cannot fail to notice the abundance of Legu- 
minous plants. Our flora is peculiarly rich in them. The Oxytropis 
Lamberti is one of the most showy, and is also exceedingly varia- 
ble in size, as well as in the color of the flowers. On the high 
plains of the Platte, the scapes are only a few inches high, and the 
corollas of the richest purple. We meet it again, at the base of 
the mountains, a foot high, bearing yellowish white blossoms. 
These varieties appear so remarkably different, that we might well 
regard them as distinct species, but that among the higher mountains 
we find many intermediate forms. The closely allied genus As- 
tragalus is represented by not less than ten or twelve species. 
None of these call to mind the common eastern one (A. Canaden- 
sis) with its tall stem and homely greenish blossoms, but most of 
them are low-stemmed, with flowers large, and more or less gaily 
colored. A. caryocarpus, a very common plant, has white and 
purple flowers, which are succeeded by large round pods. These, 
lying upon the ground under the intense rays of the summer sun, 
assume a fine purple tinge, which gives them the appearance of 
grapes or plums, hence the plant is commonly called Ground Plum. 
A: Missouriensis and A. Parryi are beautiful plants; the former, 
with deep purple, and the latter, with white flowers. The legumes 
of both species are thick and fleshy, and lying on the ground, sage 
curved upwards. Other fine Astragali ought to be mentioned 
here, as well as plants of other genera, but we must hasten to the 
mountains. (218) 
