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COMPOSITE OR SUNFLOWER FAMILY (COMPOSITAE).

This large, and important family is represented by many species in Mt. Rainier National Park. It is characterized by plants which have numerous flowers borne in compact heads surrounded by one or more rows of tegules or bracts which comprises the involucre. As this family is very diversified it is often a difficult matter to distinguish the different species and, in consequence, the preparation of a field key to genera that will be satisfactory and, at the same time, answer the needs of the amateur botanist, is very difficult. For that reason the following key contains many terms that may be unfamiliar to the novice. Their definitions will be found in the glossary.

FOUR COMMON PLANTS OF THE SUNFLOWER FAMILY (COMPOSITAE).
(1) Wormwood (Artemisia vulgaris gnaphaloides). (2) Mountain Dandelion (Agoseris villosa). (3) Arnica (Arnica latifolia). (4) Mountain Daisy (Erigeron salsuginosus).

Nipple Wort (Lapsana communis). This is a weed plant from 1 to 2 feet branched leaves, at the base are ovate in outline, toothed and sometimes lobed; upper leaves are oblong to lanceolate in outline. The flower heads are numerous and arranged in flat topped clusters.

Salsify (Tragopogon perrifolius). This plant has stout stems about 2-3 feet tall with lanceolate leaves, 4-6 inches long, clasping the stem at the base. Flowers violet, in large solitary heads. Flower stalks stout, rather long and swollen beneath the flower head.

Cat's Ear (Hypochaeris radicata). An erect, loosely branched weed plant 8-16 inches tall. The leaves are all basal and are from oblanceolate to obovate in outline, coarsely teethed or lobed, hairy on both sides and 2-6 inches long. Flower heads 3/4-1 inch in diameter and yellow.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). This is a common weed with which everyone is familiar. The large yellow flower heads upon naked stalks, 4-12 inches tall, and basal oblong to oblanceolate pinnately cleft leaves 4-8 inches long readily identify this plant.

Mountain Dandelion (Agoseris sp.). There are five species of Mountain Dandelion native to the park. All are characteristic of the Hudsonian zone and resemble the common dandelion in many respects, having large yellow to orange-yellow flower heads borne at the apex of naked stalks from 4-10 inches tall. The leaves are clustered at the base of the flower stalks and are either entire or pinnately cleft into numerous rather broad lobes. See check list en page 34 for enumeration of species. (See illustration on page 113).

Wild Lettuce (Lactuca spicata). A pale green, very leafy stemmed plant from 2-6 feet tall with blue to whitish flower heads in a narrow panicle. Leaves coarsely pinnately cleft, the lobes of which are themselves irregularly toothed. Not common.

Rattlesnake Root (Prenanthus hastata). The triangular shaped, toothed leaves on rather long stems readily identify this plant. It grows in poor soils such as gravelly stream banks. It is 12-24 inches tall, leafy stemmed and has yellow to purplish flower heads in a loose corymb.

Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris). This weed plant has yellow flower heads in loose cymes. It is 12-36 inches tall with spatulate-lanceolate leaves 2-6 inches long - those at the base having stems and those above being sessile and clasping at the base.

Hawksweed (Hieracium sp.). Five species are native to the park, all being found in more or less dry situations. They are characterized by having small to medium yellow flower heads borne upon erect stems (6-30 inches tall) in loose panicles, though occasionally the flower heads are solitary. The leaves are entire to toothed. Hieracieum gracile has mostly basal, oblong-spatulate entire leaves tapering to a rather broad petiole or leaf stem. This is common in dry Hudsonian meadows. The flowers are yellow. Hieracium albiflorum, as indicated by the specific name, has whitish flower heads is 12-30 inches tall and grows at lower elevations in the upper Canadian zone, in dry situations. The other three species (see check list on page 36 ) are not so common.

Spanish Buttons (Centaurea nigra). A harsh, much branched plant with small leaves extending almost to the flower heads; leaves alternate. Flowers in heads are all tubular, the marginal ones usually larger than those toward the center and sterile. Flowers are a rose-purple. This is a weed plant.

Silver Green (Adenocaulon bicolor). The rather large (2-5 inches long) triangular leaves with irregular, coarsely toothed margins that are green on the upper side and white woolly beneath readily identify this plant. It grows to be 12-36 inches tall; the leaves are mostly basal. Flower heads are very small, whitish in color and borne in a loose panicle. This is a plant of open places in the woods of the Canadian zone.

Wormwood (Artemisia sp.). This group of plants is characterized by having alternate dissected leaves and numerous small yellowish to brownish flower heads in racemes or panicles. The plants are a grey-green in color or are white woolly with an abundance of dense grey silky hairs. See check list for enumeration of species - page 35. (See illustration on page 113.)

Alpine Coltsfoot (Petasites nivalis). A plant of the Hudsonian zone along streams or other similar moist locations. It is 4-8 inches tall with medium sized white to purplish flower heads at the apex of a stout stem. Leaves are large, 2-4 inches long, kidney-shaped in outline with 5-7 lobes, the lobes themselves toothed; green above and white below.

Coltsfoot (Petasites speciosa). This plant is generally the first to bloom in the park each season. It is common in the Canadian zone from the park boundaries to nearly 5000 feet and may be seen along roadsides, river bars etc. The flowers - a whitish to purplish in color - are in numerous heads at the apex of stout stems and bloom before the leaves unfold. Leaves are large, 6-12 inches long, kidney-shaped in outline with 7-9 lobes, the lobes themselves toothed and green above and white be low.

Cudweed (Gnaphalium microcephalum) . This plant is characterized by a dense covering of soft silky grey hairs, linear to lanceolate leaves and white flower heads in loose cymes. It is from 12-24 inches tall and grows in poor soils.

Thistle (Cirsium edule). This plant is characterized by alternate, sessile, prickly leaves, lanceolate in outline and pinnately lobed; tall stout stems 3-5 feet tall and large terminal, often clustered, purple flower heads.

Bull Thistle (Cirsium lanceolatum). This plant has stout usually branched stems that are somewhat woolly and 3-5 feet tall. The lanceolate and pinnately lobed leaves are possessed of numerous stout spines. Flower heads are large, purple and borne on stout leafy stalks.

Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense). A weed plant with pinkish purple flowers in corymbs. It is a much branched plant with pinnately lobed sessile leaves that are somewhat clasping at the base. The prickles are numerous but weak.

Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritaceae var. occidentalis). This is a very common and widely distributed plant in the park with leafy stems and numerous small pearly white flower heads in a terminal corymb. It is 8-30 inches tall, usually tufted and has broadly lanceolate and sessile leaves that are green above and white woolly beneath. It is from 8-30 inches tall.

Cat's Paw (Antennaria sp.) This group of plants may be readily distinguished by the appearance of a grey-woolly flower heads which have the appearance of the underside of a cat's paw. They are quite common and all are generally alike in appearance. They are rather low, white-woolly plants from 4-12 inches tall with alternate entire leaves and small woolly grey (except in A. rosea in which the heads are pinkish) flower heads. Flower heads are in corymbs except in the case of A. racemosa in which case the flower heads are in racemes. See check list on page 35 for enumeration of species

Luina (Luina hypoleuca). This plant is widely distributed throughout the park from the lower elevations to the upper Hudsonian zone and is most common on rocky soils. It may be recognized by the alternate, leaves, ovate in outline (3/4 - 1 inch long) that are dark green on the upper side and white woolly beneath, the leafy white hairy stems, 8-16 inches tall, that are generally tufted and the cream colored flower heads that are borne in terminal corymbs.

Mountain Daisy (Erigeron salsuginosus). One of the most common plants of the Hudsonian meadows. It can be readily recognized by the slender erect stems, 12-24 inches tall, with the flower heads, with their pink to light purple rays, borne singly (occasionally more than one) at the apex. The lower leaves are spatulate to narrowly ovate in outline (2-6 inches long) and have stems; the leaves are sessile and oblong and shorter.

Erigeron salsuginosus var. gracilis is a variety of the above. Erigeron speciosus. An attractive but uncommon plant of the Hudsonian zone, being most generally found in the vicinity of Mount Wow in rocky soils. It is 12-24 inches tall with slender stems that are leafy to the top. Leaves lanceolate and acute and from 2-6 inches long - the upper leaves without stems and the lower leaves with stems. Several flower heads are borne in a loose corymb at the apex of the slender stem and these are characterized by numerous (about 100) slender to almost hairlike purple to violet rays.

Golden Aster (Erigeron aureus). A common and very attractive small plant of the Arctic-alpine zone in dry rocky or pumice soils. It is 2-6 inches tall and tufted from a stout crown with stems and leaves covered with short grey hairs. The leaves are mostly basal, obovate to spatulate in outline and with stems; the few stem leaves are lanceolate in outline and small. The flower heads, about 1/2 inch broad, are borne singly at the apex of one to several short flower stems and are characterized by bright golden yellow ray flowers.

Purple Tufted Aster (Erigeron compositus var. trifidus). An uncommon plant found occasionally in rocky soils from 4500 to 6000 feet. It is tufted from a woody crown with basal leaves most numerous and with stems, the leaf blade 3-cleft; stem leaves are few in number and without stems. Flower heads, about 1/2 inch in diameter, are borne singly at the apex of slender stems from 2-4 inches tall and are characterized by pink (sometimes white) rays. Two other varieties of Erigeron compositus are also found in the park - Erigeron compositus var. pilicaulis and Erigeron compositus var. multifida. Erigeron (Erigeron acris var. debilis). While not common this plant is occasionally found in rocky soils Hudsonian zone. It is 4-8 inches tall, occasionally tufted, with basal leaves spatulate-lanceolate in outline; stem leaves sessile, lanceolate in outline and smaller. The flower heads are about 1/2 inch in diameter and are borne singly or several in terminal clusters and are characterized by narrow pinkish rays. Erigeron acris var. asteroides is another variety and closely resembles the above.

Fleabane Daisy (Erigeron canadensis). This is an erect plant, 1-3 feet tall with either simple stems or, if branched, with erect branches. The leaves are numerous and linear in outline (the lower leaves sometimes spatulate in outline and occasionally cleft or toothed). The flower heads are numerous and whitish and borne in terminal panicles.

Senecio (Senecio triangularis). A very common plant in the park - particularly in moist situations of the Hudsonian zone but occasionally found at lower altitudes. It is from 12-36 inches tall with a simple stem that is leafy to the top; leaves 2-6 inches long, triangular in outline and with toothed margins. The flower heads are generally numerous, about 1/2 inch in diameter, in fairly compact terminal corymbs and characterized by bright yellow ray flowers.

Senecio (Senecio fermontii). This is a plant of rocky soils of the Hudsonian zone. The stems are tufted, often branched and erect and 4-8 inches high. Leaves are broadly ovate, spatulate or oblong with toothed margins and from 3/4-2 inches long. The flower heads, 1/4-1/2 inch in diameter, are 1-several in a bunch (often several bunches on one plant at the apex of several branches) and are characterized by yellow rays.

Rainiera (Rainiera stricta). A fairly common plant of the Hudsonian zone. It has a tall, stout, leafy erect stems 18-36 inches in diameter with numerous flower heads about 1/2 inch in diameter in a long compact terminal raceme. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate and 6-12 inches long.

Sawwort (Saussurea americana). This plant has an erect, stout stem that is leafy to the top, 12-48 inches tall with a dense cluster of small violet-blue flower heads at the apex. The leaves are ovate to oblong-ovate with the margins toothed - lower leaves with short petiole and upper leaves without stems.

Beggar's Tick (Bidens frondosa). A much branched weed plant 28 inches or less high with opposite, 3-5 divided leaves and small flower heads on slender stems which are characterized by yellow rays.

Burdock (Arctium minus). A stout stemmed, much branched plant 3-5 feet tall with broadly ovate leaves that are woolly on the under side. Flower heads are numerous and purple.

Tarweed (Madia exigua). A slender stemmed erect, though usually branched above, plant of dry locations. The leaves area linear and from 1/2-1 inch long. Flower heads are on long stems, yellow and arranged in loose corymbs.

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum var. pinnatifidum). An erect slender-stemmed plant 12 - 24 inches tall with a single flower head at the apex, the rays of which are white. Basal leaves are oblong to spatulate and pinnately toothed; leaves on upper part of the stem are smaller and linear in outline.

Yarrow (Achillea millifolium). This common plant may be readily recognized by the "fern-like" leaves (3-7 inches long and pinnately divided into many segments which are themselves further divided) and flat-topped terminal clusters of small flower heads with white rays. The plant grows 12-36 inches tall and is quite common, particularly at the lower elevations. Two varieties that occur in the Hudsonian and, to a limited degree, in the lower Arctic-alpine zones are Achillea millifolium var. alpicola and Achillea millifolium var. fusca. Both resemble the common Yarrow except that they are smaller.

Mayweed (Anthemis arvensis). A much branched weed plant with alternate leaves cut into several thread-like lobes and white flower heads.

Eriophyllum (Eriophyllum lanatum). A very attractive but uncommon plant in the park. It is generally from 10-20 inches tall with slender stems lightly covered with soft grey hairs. The leaves are 3-7 lobed though occasionally lower leaves will be entire; upper side of leaves dark green and the lower surface white woolly. The large and conspicuous flower heads are borne singly upon long stems and are characterized by large golden yellow rays. This plant may be found most easily in the region of Mt. Wow.

Hulsea (Hulsea nana). The herbage of this plant, 4-12 inches tall, is white-woolly with mostly basal leaves that are oblong-spatulate in outline and with the margins deeply cut into irregular teeth or small lobes; the base of the leaves narrowed to a stem. The flower head is borne singly at the apex of the stem and is characterized by yellow rays. It is found in loose, dry volcanic soil.

Purple Aster (Aster ledophyllus). A common plant in the Hudsonian meadows. The stems are generally tufted, erect and from 12-30 inches tall and very leafy throughout their entire length. Leaves are lanceolate, 3/4-2 inches long, dark green on the upper side and grey-green beneath. The flower heads are large, conspicuous and handsome, usually several in a loose cyme at the top of the stem and characterized by violet rays.

Purple Aster (Aster modestus). This species grows at lower elevations than the above and is common in the woods of the Canadian zone. It is 24-30 inches tall with the stems erect and very leafy. Leaves are lanceolate in outline, toothed and without stems. The flower heads are large and conspicuous, several being borne at the top of the stem on slender stems, and are characterized by violet rays.

Dwarf Purple Aster (Aster alpigenus). A common plant in the Hudsonian meadows. The leaves spread from a stout root in a sort of basal tuft and are linear-spatulate and 1-3 inches long. Flower stem erect, slender, 2-5 inches tall bearing a single large flower head at the apex which is characterized by attractive violet rays.

Aster (Aster foliaceus var. frondeus). This plant has slender to rather stout, erect and generally simple stems 8-24 inches tall. Stems are generally leafy with the lower leaves large oblanceolate in outline and tapering toward the base into rather broad stems; leaves on upper stem without stems. The flower heads are large, several in number at the top of the stalks upon slender stems and with violet rays. Another variety - Aster foliaceous var. apricus - is similar to the above but smaller.

Mountain Goldenrod (Solidago ciliosa). This plant is quite common in the Hudsonian and lower Arctic-alpine zones. It is generally tufted and 4-12 inches tall with basal leaves oblanceolate in outline and either toothed or entire and 1-3 inches long, narrowing at the base to a margined leaf stem. The flower heads are very numerous, small and in dense terminal panicles with bright yellow rays.

Solidago (Solidago elongata). As the specific name indicates this plant is much taller than the above, though with that exception it resembles it in many respects. The stems are tufted, 24-36 inches tall with leaves that are lanceolate in outline and toothed. The flower heads are numerous in a dense panicle and with yellow rays.

Arnica (Arnica latifolia). This, the most common of 13 species of Arnica found in the park, is abundant in the Hudsonian meadows where it is one of the most common flowers of that region. It has an erect simple stem, 12-24 inches tall with opposite leaves that are coarsely toothed and oval to ovate in outline (lower leaves with leaf stems, upper leaves without leaf stems). The flower heads are large, conspicuous and handsome being brown within and with bright yellow rays. In general this genus is characterized by yellow rays and yellow brown disk flowers and opposite leaves. The other species differ, botanically, from the common one described above but are not enumerated here in view of the fact that these differences are probably of no importance to the layman. See check list on page 35 for the names of the various native species in this group.

Haplopappus (Haplopappus lyallii). This plant grows in rocky situations in the Hudsonian zone. It is 4-8 inches tall, leafy, with alternate, oblong-spatulate to oblanceolate leaves 1/4-2 inches long and flower heads borne solitary at the apex of the flower stalks.

Aspargidium (Aspergidium boreale). Leaves of this plant are largely basal, linear-lanceolate in outline and 2-4 inches long. The flower stems are 2-5 inches long and bear one to several yellow flower heads.

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