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PINK FAMILY (CAROPHYLLACEAE).

Plants of this family are characterized by opposite (whorled in Spergula), entire (leaf margins not toothed) leaves and with the stems usually swollen at the joints. The cultivated pinks and carnations belong to this family. A field key to the eight genera native to this park follows:

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus). Probably introduced from gardens in the vicinity of Longmire. Flowers several to many, red or white, in a compact, flat-topped cluster (cyme), the petals toothed and bearded. The stems of this plant are 4-angled, simple or branched and 10-20 inches tall, The leaves are rather large and lanceolate.

Suksdorf's Silene (Silene suksdorfii). A plant of rocky soils at about feet in elevation. It is tufted and about 2-6 inches tall with linear to spatulate leaves from 1/4-1/2 inch long and with flowers borne singly or in groups of 2 or 3. The petals of the flowers are white, united in a tubular ball-like form and notched at the apex. The calyx, also united, is characterized by conspicuous narrow, dark stripes (nerves).

Moss Campion (Silene acaulis var. excapa). A densely tufted, moss-like plant of the Arctic-alpine zone; quite common on Burroughs Mountain, It rarely grows taller than two inches and has numerous linear leaves not much more than 1/4 inch long. The flowers are a reddish-purple in color with the petals united and bell shaped.

Catchfly (Silene douglasii). Quite common on open sunny hill sides in the Hudsonian zone. The slender stems are erect and from 10-20 inches tall with narrow lanceolate to oblanceolate leaves 1-2 inches long. The flowers are in few-flowered cymes. The petals of the flowers are united into a bell-like form, white to pinkish and 2-lobed. Calyx also united, greenish and marked with fine dark lines (veins). Silene macounii is very similar to S. douglasii but the petals are 4-lobed. Silene menziesii has weak erect or decumbent stems that are generally branched and with small flowers solitary in the forks of the leafy branches. Silene noctiflora has stout erect stems 6-36 inches tall with oblanceolate or spatulate lower leaves and lanceolate upper leaves and long stemmed white flowers in a loose cyme.

Pearlwort (Sagina sp.). These plants of which there are two species native to the park, are small matted herbs with thread-like leaves and small flowers at the tips of the stem and branches. They are not very common or showy and, in consequence are not described more fully here. Sagina linnaei is an alpine plant while Sagina occidentalis is characteristic of moist soils at the lower elevations.

Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium sp.). The common name of these plants, of which there are two species native to Mt. Rainier National Park, is derived from the downiness of the thin leaves, supposedly having a soft "furry" appearance like a mouse's ear. This and the larger flowers distinguish this genus from the true Chickweeds (Stellaria). The leaves are flat and, as stated, downy-pubescent and the flowers are in terminal cymes and white. In Cerastium arvense the petals are decidedly longer than the sepals while in Cerastium vulgatum var. hirsutum the petals are not longer than the sepals.

Chickweed (Stellaria sp.). There are eight species of Chickweeds native to the park. All are small plants with white, star-like blossoms borne singly or in cymes. They are not very showy, thus rarely noticed by the average visitor and consequently are not described more fully here. See check list on pages 22 and 23.

Sandwort (Arenaria sp.). Six species of Sandworts are found in Mt. Rainier National Park. All may be generally characterized as perennial, tufted and often matted herbs having linear or needle-like leaves and white flowers borne in cymes. Arenaria verna var. propinqua is the most common of the six native species. It is found in rocky soils in the Hudsonian and lower Arctic-alpine zones. It is 2-6 inches tall, tufted, with linear to awl-shaped flat leaves that are strongly marked with three prominent nerves. The leaves are about 1/4 inch long and are largely grouped at the base of the flower stems. Arenaria formosa is from 4-7 inches tall, tufted and with grass-like mostly basal leaves. The petals of the white flowers are much longer than the sepals. Arenaria macrophylla has generally simple stems 2-6 inches tall with lanceolate leaves about 1/2 - 1-1/2 inches long that are acute at each end. The cymes are characterized by but few flowers. It is quite common in the moist woods of the Canadian zone. Arenaria laricifolia is characteristic of the rocky soils of the Hudsonian and lower Arctic-Alpine zones. It is from 2-6 inches tall, growing in dense mats. Arenaria nuttallii is a leafy perennial, densely branched from the stout root. The leaves are linear to awl-shaped and the flowers are numerous. Arenaria serpyllifolia, unlike the other species mentioned, is an annual. The plant is leafy with ovate leaves that are tipped with a fine point at the apex, are sessile (with out leaf stalk) and about 1/4 inch long. It is a plant of dry soils at varying altitudes.

Sand Spurrey (Spergularia rubra) A small comparatively rare plant of dry soils with tiny deep pink flowers and flat, linear leaves.

Spurrey (Spergula arvensis). An annual weed plant. Prostrate stems from 6-12 inches long with whorled, thread-like leaves from 1/2-2 inches long and white flowers in loose cymes.

WATERLILY FAMILY (NYMPHAEACEAE).

Spadder Dock (Nymphozanthus polysepalus). As this is the only species belonging to the Waterlily family native to the park it can be readily identified everyone from the nature of its habitat. It is found in many ponds and lakes of the park up to about 4500'. It is a perennial with thick rootstalks, long petioled floating leaves and bright yellow flowers. Leaves are nearly circular or broadly oval in outline, 7-12 inches long and 6-8 inches wide, and deeply cordate, The flower of this plant is interesting because the calyx (sepals) rather than the corolla (petals) is the showy portion. The calyx is almost globose, a bright golden yellow and about 3 inches wide. The petals, on the other hand, are small, thick and stamen-like.

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Descriptions continued...