Notes on the Flora of Custer County, Colorado. 



J 7 



near Short Creek (about 8,400 feet altitude) representing a new 

 variety. Sericea — rather smaller, mere silky throughout, stem 

 densely white-silky. 



Astragalus caryocarpus, Ker. One of the earliest flowers of 

 the year, in sandy places in the open, at about 8,000 feet. This 

 species was kindly identified for me by Dr. Geo. Vasey. 



Oxytropis lamberti, Pursh. The notorious loco-weed, on 

 which much has already been written. The typical form has 

 white flowers, while in an otherwise similar variety, lilacina, the 

 flowers are pale lilac. The variety sericea also occurs. I have 

 been making a list of the insects frequenting this plant in Custer 

 county — Cantharis nuttalli, say, feeds extensively upon it; a gall 

 "was found on a flower-stalk, apparently belonging to a Trypetid 

 fly; small pinkish Lepidopterous larvae, perhaps those of Wdl- 

 shia amorphella, Clem., burrow in the root and crown, and are 

 erroneously supposed by some ranchmen to be the cause of the 

 evil effects of the plant; the butterflies Danais plexippus and 

 Papilio asterias were observed visiting the white flowers of the 

 typical form; while the beetles Hippodaynia convergens and Cos- 

 cinoptera Vittiaga, and the Homopteron Proconia costalis are 

 occasionally found upon it. 



Fragaiia vesca, L. Exceedingly plentiful above 8,200 feet, 

 but does not fruit nearly so fieely as I have seen it doing in Kent 

 and Sussex, England. Also found in Mesa, Delta, and Pueblo 

 counties. 



Potentilla arguta, Pursh. ' Black brush,' abundant and troub- 

 lesome to ranchmen. I found one plant of the var. glandulosa 

 (P. glandulosa, Lindl.) near Querida. I also found arguta in 

 Summit county, and glandulosa in Lake county. 



Potentilla anserina, L. Abundant in the valley, differing 

 slightly in general facies from the English form of the species. 



Rosa blanda, Ait., and var. arkansana (R. arkansana, Porter.) 

 These and other roses of the Sayi group are plentiful at about 

 8,400 feet, and so variable as to defy separation into species. 

 Typical forms, agreeing precisely with the descriptions given in 

 the books, are quite the exception. A fungus, Phragmidium 

 subcorticium, Schrank, occurs upon the leaves. 



Saxifraga punctata, L. In shady places by creeks at about 

 8,500 feet altitude. 



Sedun stenopetalum, Pursh. Very abundant in rocky ground 

 at about 8,400 feet. It is probably the food-plant of the Par- 

 nassius sminthens, which flies there. 



Epilobiutn angustifolium, L. Abundant at about 8,400 feet, 

 presenting two well-marked forms. Found also in Summit, 

 Delta and Lake counties. 



CEnothera biennis, L. Abundant and variable. 

 CEnothera coronopifolia, Torr. and Gray. Abundant at about 

 8,300 feet. 



Echinocereus viridiflorus, Eng. The only abundant cactus 

 from 8,000 to 8,400 feet. Flowers early in June. 



