IMPORTANT RANGE 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 
