Part 1

WILD FLOWERS of Zion and Bryce Canyon NATIONAL PARKS and Cedar Breaks NATIONAL MONUMENT

Text and Color Photographs by CARL E. JEPSON Chief Park Naturalist and LELAND F. ALLEN Park Naturalist

Published and Copyright 1958 by ZION-BRYCE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION in cooperation with the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE UTAH

INTRODUCTION

In these areas of Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and Cedar Breaks National Monument, four life zones are found extending from low elevations of near 3,600 feet to extremes of over 11,300 feet. The area within elevations from the lowest point to 4,000 feet is the Lower Sonoran Zone; above that to 7,000 feet is the Upper Sonoran Zone; from 7,000 to 8,500 feet is the Transition Zone; above that to 10,000 feet is the Canadian Zone; and from 10,000 feet to the highest point on Brian Head Peak is the Hudsonian Zone.

Native plants typical of desert, mesa and mountain grow within these extremes of elevation and include a wide variety of species. Of the three areas featured, Cedar Breaks National Monument contains the greatest variety, and frequently exhibits marvelous displays, depending on the amount of rainfall from year to year.

The purpose of this booklet is to help visitors in their enjoyment of the flowers they find along the roadways and trails—flowers they observe, appreciate and probably photograph but leave UNPICKED for the pleasure of others.

Through the mediums of color photography and color lithography one hundred and six species of wild flowers and plants most commonly seen are presented in closeup detail as an aid to identification. Brief descriptions of size, habitat, blooming period, use, economic value and other details are given.

The flowers have been arranged in a general order of families, except that occasionally, for the convenience of preparing the color plates, flowers of similar color or density have been grouped on a page although they are not in the same family nor closely related.

The Standardized Plant Names of the American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature has been followed as the guide. In case of locally used common names, such has been indicated in the text.

This booklet on Wild Flowers has been produced by the Zion-Bryce Natural History Association in cooperation with the National Park Service. The Association has for its objective the fuller interpretation of the scenic, scientific, aesthetic and historic values of these National Parks, to the end that park visitors are provided with such information, audio and visual aids as will help them gain a better understanding and greater appreciation of the phenomena they find in them.

It is hoped that this brief treatise on the flora may prove helpful to many visitors in learning more about some of the important species of plant life that they may discover during their visits to the Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Credit for the photographic work goes to several individuals, all members of the interpretive staffs of these areas during the past few years. Park Naturalists Carl E. Jepson and Leland F. Allen have prepared the descriptive information given for each flower.

The printing and color processing by the Wheelwright Lithographing Company, 975 So. West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.

1. SEGOLILY MARIPOSA Lily Family _Calochortus nuttallii_

The Segolily Mariposa was chosen as the State Flower of Utah probably because of the important use early pioneers made of the root bulbs of this plant in supplementing their meager diets during the early settlement period. The name “Sego” (pronounced see-go) is of Shoshonean origin, and this flower was sacred in Indian legend long before the arrival of Utah pioneers in 1847.

This plant is found in rather dry, rocky soils and puts on a very showy display during May and June. It is more commonly known as the Mariposa Lily in other sections of the country, but in Utah it is called the Segolily.

There are three species in color of white, pink and yellow found in the Zion Region.

2. YELLOW MARIPOSA Lily Family _Calochortus nuttallii var. aureus_

Found only in the petrified forest of the Coalpits Wash section of Zion National Park, this plant is not very abundant and probably suffered from overgrazing by livestock during the settlement period before Zion became a National Park.

Mariposa in Spanish means butterfly.

This species with bright-yellow flowers is associated with a specific geologic stratum—the Petrified Forest member of the Chinle formation. It is found in great abundance in the Petrified Forest National Monument near Holbrook, Arizona.

3. PRAIRIE SPIDERWORT Spiderwort Family _Tradescantia occidentalis_

In the sandy areas at elevations above 4,000 feet you may find this pretty, three-petaled, deep-blue flower on its slender stalk about a foot or more in height blooming early in June. The flowers bloom at night, so are not easily found except early in the mornings. The plant is fairly abundant along the Narrows Trail, the East Rim Trail and near the East Entrance Station of Zion National Park.

Indians used the entire plant for food.

4. BLUEDICKS Lily Family _Dichelostemma pulchellum_

This bright-blue flower, on its long, slender stalk, has a number of common names, such as Wild Hyacinth, Grass Nuts and Spanish Lily. The bulb of this plant has a nutty flavor. It was gathered by the Indians and early pioneers for food in some sections of the country. It is found sparingly in good soil areas.

5. PURPLESPOT FRITILLARY Lily Family _Fritillaria atropurpurea_

A rather rare lily sometimes called Leopard Lily or Bronze Bell. Its drooping flowers on fairly tall stems are found growing in the Sagebrush areas or in alpine meadows. As they are not very conspicuous, they are often overlooked by visitors. The petals, with their mottled effect in brown, yellow and purple spots, present a remarkable pattern of beauty when observed closely. The odor of the plant is not pleasing to humans, but is no doubt attractive to insects.

6. FINELEAF YUCCA Lily Family _Yucca angustissima_

The name “Our Lord’s Candlestick” was given to this tall, conspicuous plant of the desert by the early Spanish Padres, who were the first white men to see this region of Southern Utah. During May and June the waxy-white flowers bloom on tall stalks and soon mature into rather large seed pods.

Indians made very good use of all parts of the plant. Its fiber was used for making sandals and clothing, the seeds provided food, and the roots were used for making soap. The Navajo Indian called it Yaybi-tsa-si, which means literally “Yucca of the Gods.”

7. MOUNTAIN DEATHCAMAS Lily Family _Zigadenus elegans_

An onion-like plant with a long, loose cluster of small, creamy-white flowers. Its root is shaped much like that of the onion, but is odorless. The plant is poisonous to man and beast. Deathcamas is found mostly in meadows or wet places on the plateaus where it presents a serious danger to grazing cattle and sheep. At Cedar Breaks it blooms during July and August and is fairly common in the alpine meadows.

8. WILD BUCKWHEAT Buckwheat Family _Eriogonum umbellatum_

Wild Buckwheat is commonly associated with Sagebrush and arid regions of the West. Many species of the genus are found blooming throughout the summer season.

The spreading branches grow close to the ground and help reduce erosion, and the yearly accumulation of leaves adds humus to the soil. The flower head at the top of single stalks, with its many-branched, dense cluster in a lacy pattern, makes a fine floral display of yellow. The flowers are important to the honey bee, and the ripened seeds are diligently sought by the chipmunks, other rodents and several birds.

9. GREEN EPHEDRA Jointfir Family _Ephedra viridis_

Not a very showy plant with its pale-green stems, very small leaves and inconspicuous flowers. It is probably of greatest interest because of the use made of the plant by early pioneers in brewing a tea, which served as a tonic for various ailments. It was commonly called Brigham Tea, Squaw Tea or, more generally, Mormon tea.

The plant is a relative of the Pines and Firs and is very able to withstand drouth. It is found fairly abundantly in the Sagebrush and Saltbush areas of the Upper Sonoran Zone.

The drug ephedrine is obtained from some of the species of Ephedra found in China.

10. FOURWING SALTBUSH Goosefoot Family _Atriplex canescens_

A silvery-green, profusely branched shrub growing two to five feet high with conspicuous clusters (in late summer) of four-winged seeds about the same color as the leaves. It is very common in the Sonoran Zones and abundant in the alkaline flats of the Great Basin of Utah. In the lower portion of Zion Canyon it is abundant and often taken to be Sagebrush, which it resembles to some extent.

This plant is of value as forage for livestock, and deer feed upon it to a limited extent.

11. CALYPSO ORCHID Orchid Family _Calypso bulbosa_

If you travel to the mountains early in June or July, you may be lucky enough to find this beautiful flower, the dainty Calypso or Fairy Slipper Orchid, as it blooms in the dense woods of Spruce and Pine or in the deep canyons along shady streams at elevations above 6,000 feet. The flowers grow singly on stems 4 to 6 inches high and have only one large leaf. The plant takes part of its food from decaying wood or other organic matter.

Thoughtless picking of this flower has made it very rare and in danger of becoming extinct. Please do your part to help save the Fairy Slipper Orchid.

12. FOUR-O’CLOCK Four-O’Clock Family _Mirabilis multiflora_

Closely resembling the cultivated variety of Four-O’Clock, this plant, with its abundance of brilliant magenta-colored flowers, is one of the spectacular sights in May or early June. It is a sturdy perennial with thick, glossy-green leaves spreading low over the ground. The south-facing slopes in the Sonoran Zones are its most common habitat, but it is also found in the broken lava fields. Being a night bloomer, the flowers close during the bright daylight hours and open at about four o’clock in the afternoon. Its blooming season is generally brief, about two or three weeks, but it sometimes blooms twice in the same summer.

13. SPRINGBEAUTY Purslane Family _Claytonia lanceolata_

Found abundantly at Cedar Breaks during May and early June and also in the shady canyons of Zion in the Transition Zone. Each plant has two narrow leaves near the base, each about 2 inches long, above which are four to five practically leafless branches with a single flower at the top of each. The plant is rarely over 6 inches high; more commonly it is flat to the ground. Flowers vary in color from white to pink or sometimes the white blossoms have pink veins or stripes which tend to accentuate their beauty. Usually one of the early blooming flowers of the high plateaus, along with the Indianpotato and Buttercup.

14. BITTERROOT Portulaca Family _Lewisia rediviva_

This beautiful, dwarfed plant, never more than an inch or two high, is found during May mostly on the lava fields of the Transition Zone in Zion National Park. Its flower of white petals with pink veins is about 2 inches in diameter.

The Bitterroot was discovered in 1805 by the Lewis and Clark expedition while passing through western Montana. It was later named _Lewisia rediviva_ by the botanist Pursh.

The plant is of economic importance to the Northwestern Indians, who discovered that the bitter, parsnip-shaped roots possess a nutritious heart of starch, which cooking reduces to a pasty mass, palatable, at least, to Indian taste.

15. MARSHMARIGOLD Buttercup Family _Caltha leptosepala_

A plant of the high elevations, generally above 9,000 feet, and found abundantly at Cedar Breaks, where it comes into bloom almost as soon as the first patches of bare ground appear. Coming out usually in April or May, depending on the season, Marshmarigolds are among the earliest blooming flowers of the high elevations and often carpet the alpine meadows with a spread of white blossoms.

The white sepals, that make up the showy flower, are often mistaken for petals, which are absent. The mass of anthers of the stamens give the flower its brilliant yellow center.

16. BUTTERCUP Buttercup Family _Ranunculus sp._

A number of species of Buttercups bloom in these areas in early April or May on the Plateaus and later in the shady canyons. In their respective areas they are often the first flowers of Spring and are followed closely by the Springbeauties or sometimes preceded by the tiny white Indianpotato of the Parsnip Family.

A thrilling sight is to find the waxy flowers of the early Buttercups at the very edge of the receding snowbanks. The blooming season for Buttercups is very brief, as a general rule, but the different species come into bloom successively.

17. COLUMBINE Buttercup Family _Aguilegia sp._

These beautiful flowers are well known because of their wide distribution and common use as cultivated species in flower gardens. They have conspicuously shaped petals with long, hollow spurs, which contain honey and thereby attract certain insects and especially the hummingbirds. Columbines are probably the most beautiful of the native flowers of Zion, Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks, as they bring forth very attractive displays during the summer months. The White Columbine at Cedar Breaks is extremely large.

18. LARKSPUR Buttercup Family _Delphinium sp._

Larkspurs are found abundantly at Cedar Breaks during July and August in the alpine meadows of the Monument. The leaves are very similar to those of the Monkshood, but the flowers differ in color and shape. The single spur of one of the sepals is the marked feature of the Larkspur. Color and size vary greatly for the different species; but the most common variety at Cedar Breaks is 2 to 3 feet tall, and the flowers are a purplish blue.

19. MONKSHOOD Buttercup Family _Aconitum columbianum_

Found abundantly at Cedar Breaks in the more open forested areas where there is partial shade and plenty of moisture. The purple Monkshood rank almost as high as their cousins the Columbines and Larkspurs in charm and beauty, with a quaintness and individuality all their own. The flower features a modified sepal shaped like a hood or helmet that protects the stamens. Extracts from the thick, turnip-shaped root are used medicinally in the treatment of certain heart diseases.

20. WESTERN BANEBERRY Buttercup Family _Actaea arguta_

This plant may be found in the shady forest of good moisture. It is about one to two feet tall with handsome leaves but rather inconspicuous heads of creamy-white flowers. The conspicuous bright-red or waxy-white berries about the size of peas in a dense cluster make a very attractive display in late summer. The berries are somewhat poisonous, hence the name Baneberry.

21. SAND BUTTERCUP Buttercup Family _Ranunculus juniperinus_

One of the very early blooming plants in Zion in the Transition or Upper Sonoran Zone, which often appears from mid-February to April, in bare sandy places among the Junipers and Pinyons, is the Sand Buttercup. Along the trail to the Canyon Overlook above the Great Arch is perhaps the best place to find this plant in Zion.

The flowers, a pinkish white, are found on short stems or spreading branches close to the ground. As the plants are rather small and not very showy, it takes careful searching to find them.

22. OREGON GRAPE Barberry Family _Berberis repens_

Because of its hollylike leaves, this dwarf shrub is sometimes called the Holly Grape, but it is more commonly known as the Oregon Grape. A rather prostrate growth form accounts for a third common name; namely, Creeping Barberry.

This plant is found sparingly scattered over the areas and is probably more abundant in Zion than in Bryce Canyon or Cedar Breaks. The fruit looks very much like a cluster of grapes and is often gathered for the making of jellies or wine. The woody stems were used by the Indians in making a yellow dye.

The plants are helpful in holding the soil, as they spread close to the ground.

23. FREMONT BARBERRY Barberry Family _Berberis fremontii_

This rather tall shrub of the Sonoran Zones puts on a remarkable display in April and May with its bright yellow flowers. It is most commonly seen along the highway leading to Zion National Park from the west.

Since the plant is a secondary host of the Blackstem Rust of cereals, it is not cultivated as an ornamental shrub.

Indians used the wood of this shrub for various implements or tools. They utilized the root, which contains berberine, for a tonic, and they also made from it a brilliant-yellow dye.

24. ELK THISTLE Sunflower Family _Cirsium foliosum_

This Thistle is widely scattered in these areas but is not very abundant. It is a stout plant, 2 to 3 feet tall, with large, prickly leaves. Its freshly budding flowers in deep pink are very attractive during the early summer. Hummingbirds and numerous insects gather food from its colorful flower head made up of many individual flowers. Some Thistles are very obnoxious and detrimental to agriculture.

25. CONEFLOWER Sunflower Family _Rudbeckia occidentalis_

At Cedar Breaks and in the high elevations of Zion and Bryce Canyon you can find this rank-growing plant in fair abundance. Its thimblelike, dark-brown flower head has numerous, inconspicuously small, yellow flowers that come out progressively up the cone from its base. The dark-brown cones, towering above the foliage of the plant, make a spectacular display against the deep-blue sky. The ripened seeds are very much sought after by rodents and numerous birds.

26. DESERT PRINCESPLUME Mustard Family _Stanleya pinnata_

During the months of May and June this very conspicuous plant in Zion Canyon and throughout the Sonoran Zones may be found sending up its tall spikes of lemon-yellow flowers. On the same stalk can be found the ripened and opened seed pods (siliques), fresh-blooming flowers and unopened buds all at the same time. It has tall, stout stems, rather woody at the base, and differs from many plants in that it is tolerant of soils containing gypsum.

27. STONECROP Stonecrop Family _Sedum stenopetalum_

Found mostly in very dry, rocky soil, these small plants, with smooth, fleshy leaves and starry-yellow flowers, are fairly conspicuous as they bloom during the early summer months. These plants have the ability to store up moisture in their fleshy leaves and stems. They are, therefore, well adapted to withstanding long periods of drouth. The plants are sometimes gathered for treatment of certain ailments.

28. PRICKLYPOPPY Poppy Family _Argemone platyceras_

You can find this plant, with its large, white flowers, most frequently along the road cuts or in abandoned fields where it has taken over as a weed. Its showy display is most abundant during midsummer or in July and August. The large, white flower, with its conspicuous yellow center, is sometimes called “The Cowboy’s Fried Egg.” The prickly leaves and stems account for another common name, Thistlepoppy. The plants are drought resistant and unpalatable to livestock. The seeds contain a narcotic drug more potent than opium.

29. ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEEPLANT Caper Family _Cleome serrulata_

Along the roadsides of Southern Utah near these areas of Zion, Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks you may find this pleasing floral display of orchid or purple presented by fields of the Rocky Mountain Beeplant.

It is probably an exotic that has been brought in during recent years. Because of the unpleasant odor of crushed herbage, this plant is sometimes called skunk weed. The flowers are an important source of honey, and the seeds are eaten by a number of birds, especially the doves.

30. YELLOW SPIDERFLOWER Caper Family _Cleome lutea_

The plants of this genus are often called Beeplants. There are two species of Spiderflower in these areas. Yellow Spiderflower is not quite as common as the purplish-pink species commonly known as the Rocky Mountain Beeplant.

Both species are conspicuous roadside flowers in June and July. Although they are important sources of honey, they are not very sweet scented to humans. No doubt the odor helps attract insects to the flowers.

31. ELDER Honeysuckle Family _Sambucus racemosa_