FLORA OF MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK. 
45 
readily distinguish it. One of the most characteristic plants at tim¬ 
ber line is the golden aster, Erigeron aureus. This dainty little plant, 
about 3 or 4 inches high, has bright golden-colored ray flowers and a 
solitary head. The three heathers are common at timber line, at 
which elevation another rather rare heather is added, Harrimanella 
stelleriana. This plant spreads out flat on the ground with the leaves 
extending out from the two sides of the stem, with a terminal single 
flower. Some of the heathers are called Scotch heather, but there is 
very little similarity between our plants and the European. 
A small goldenrod, Solidago scopularum , 6 inches to a foot high, 
grows among the rocks and gnarled trees. This dwarfed plant, with 
its small }^ellow flowers, looks puny when compared with the large 
plants of the fields in lower altitudes. Several asters, erigerons, pent- 
stemons, and painted cups from the lower slopes reach timber line, 
while two or three of these extend beyond into the pumice fields. 
This is also true of the two little woolly cudweeds before mentioned. 
THE FIFTH ZONE. 
In the pumice fields and rocky ledges above timber line one of the 
most beautiful plants is Lyall’s lupine, Lupinus lyallii (figs. 37 and 
38). It extends upward to about 8,000 or 9,000 feet. It is small 
and forms a rosette with its silvery palmate leaves and numerous 
stems, each bearing a short raceme of brilliant blue-purple flowers. 
It blooms soon after the snow disappears, and keeps on blooming 
until about the middle of August. The season for all plants in 
these alpine and subalpine regions is governed by the depth of the 
snow. The position and depth of snowdrifts depend largely on the 
winter conditions, which vary from year to year. The flower beds 
on these pumice fields have many extreme changes. One locality 
may have little snow, while near by may be a drift 20 feet deep. In 
the former the plants spring forth early, while in the latter they are 
buried in snow, which may not thaw for weeks. In the former locality 
the plants may ripen their seeds, while in the latter the autumn snow 
may bury them in full bloom. For this reason the date of blooming 
can not be given as we speak of it in regard to our common plants, 
which vary comparatively little. 
Pentstemou rupicola is one of the most highly-colored plants on 
the mountain. It is often seen on cliffs. It has short, prostrate, 
shrubby stems with thick leaves and rose-crimson flowers. Very 
similar to the above is Pentstemou menziesii with duller purple 
flowers. These extend to an altitude of nearly 8,000 feet. Spraguea 
multiceps grows in the volcanic ash from a thick rootstalk bearing 
several short, stems with entire spatulate leaves and pinkish-brown 
heads. Growing with the above is a member of the dock family, 
Eriogonum pyrolaefolium coryphaeum (fig. 39). This has one to four 
