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BUTTERCUP FAMILY (RANUNCULACEAE).

This is a large and important family of plants which includes some of the most beautiful wild flowers of the park. While the various species exhibit a great variety of form and appearance the family is characterized by having the stamens, sepals and petals (when petals are present) inserted below the pistils. A field key to the nine genera native to Mt. Rainier National Park follows:

FIVE COMMON PLANTS OF THE BUTTERCUP FAMILY. (RANUNCULACEAE).
(1) Columbine (Aquilegia formosa). (2) Western Anemone (Anemona occidentalis). (3) Forest Anemone (Anemone deltoidea). (4) False Bugbane (Trautvetteria grandis). (5) Blossom of the White Marsh Marigold (Caltha leptosepala).

Forest Anemone (Anemone deltoidea). A common and very attractive plant of the deep woods, blooming in late spring and early summer. The single white blossom, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter is borne at the apex of the slender stem. The anemones lack petals and so the white "petals" in this case are, in reality, sepals. A whorl of three leaves is borne about midway upon the slender stem; leaves 1-3 inches long, ovate in outline, acute and with edges cut rather deeply into numerous teeth or lobes. (See illustration on page 65).

Drummond's Anemone (Anemone drummondii). A rather uncommon anemone of the upper Hudsonian and Arctic-alpine zones, found in rocky crevices. Plant 2-6 inches tall with several long stemmed, finely divided compound leaves arising from the rootstalk. Leaf segments are narrowly wedge shaped. The flowers, lacking petals, have creamy-white sepals washed with a faint bluish tinge.

Lyall's Anemone (Anemone lyallii). A rare plant of the moist woods with slender stems 2-4 inches tall, small white flowers and three foliate leaves, the leaflets lanceolate to ovate and obtusely toothed.

Western Anemone (Anemone occidentalis). This is one of the most common plants of the Hudsonian meadows, blooming shortly after the ground at that elevation is free of snow. In the late summer and early fall these meadows are characterized by the numerous fuzzy seed heads of these plants. The entire plant is characterized by the presence of numerous long hairs. The stems are stout and from 3-18 inches tall. The three leaves upon the stem are arranged in a whorl, sessile upon the stem and finely divided into numerous narrow segments. The flowers are borne singly at the apex of the stem, are 2 - 2-1/2 inches in diameter with white sepals lightly tinged with purple. The flowers bloom late in June and early in July at which time the stems are short. As the season advances the stems continue to grow and elongate until they are 12-18 inches tall and bear the characteristic seed clusters. The seeds are akenes, each having a long silk-like strand which gives the seed cluster its "fuzzy" appearance. (See illustration on page 65)

Cut-leaved Anemone (Anemone multifida var. hudsoniana). This rare plant, found principally in rocky locations, is silky-hairy throughout with leaves in threes and cleft into linear divisions. The flowers, 1 to 3 in number, are yellowish, sometimes washed with a bluish tinge.

Baneberry (Actaea arguta). frequent plant in moist to wet soils in the forests of the lower elevations. It is erect and 12-24 inches tall; leaves are compounded three times with the leaflets being ovate to lanceolate in outline and with their margins characterized by numerous deeply cut teeth. The white flowers are borne in dense compact racemes at first, later becoming more open. The berries are a bright red.

Tall Larkspur (Delphinium glaucum). An erect, succulent plant from 3-6 feet tall with stout smooth stems which often appear glaucous (powdery like the bloom on a plum). The leaves are rather large, about 4-8 inches wide and 3-6 inches long, nearly circular in general outline and parted into 5 to 7 lobes which are margined with large teeth. The leaves are a dark green on the upper side and lighter below. The flowers are dark blue, in a dense raceme, the individual flowers borne upon rather short stems about 1/2-3/4 inch long. This plant is often found in moist situations in open woods between 2000 and 4000 feet.

Small Larkspur (Delphinium glareosum). This plant grows to a height of from 4-12 inches. It is occasionally found in moist situations at about 5000 feet in elevation. The leaves, 1-2 inches long and 1-1/2 - 3 inches wide, are nearly circular in general outline, are deeply cleft into five parts - each part being deeply lobed. The raceme may be few to many flowered. Flowers a deep purple-blue and borne upon long stems. The pods are veined with blue.

Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum). This flower has five sepals, the common name being derived from the shape of the upper sepal which is in the form of a hood. It is a plant of moist situations of the upper Canadian and lower Hudsonian zones. The tall, slender stems reach a height of from 1-1/2 - 4 feet. Upon the upper portion these stems are covered with fine short hairs. The leaves are borne on short stems and are palmately divided into several parts, each part, in turn, being deeply lobed. The flowers are very showy, a deep blue in color and borne in racemes.

Columbine (Aquilegia formosa). A very attractive and fairly common plant of the Hudsonian zone in moist well drained soils. It is an erect plant, 2-3 feet tall with many branched stems. The attractive red flowers with yellow centers are borne at the ends of the branches. There are five petal-like sepals and five petals, each petal with a long hollow spur extended backward. The leaves are 1-3 compound. (See illustration on page 65)

False Bugbane (Trautvetteria grandis). A tall erect perennial that is fairly common in very moist places in open woods to 5000 feet in elevation. The leaves are palmately, lobed into 5-9 parts edges of the lobes deeply toothed; leaves 2-6 inches wide and wider than long. One leaf arising from the root has a long stem, leaves upon the main stem are short stemmed. Flowers are white and in corymbs. The numerous stamens and pistils give the flower a "bristly" appearance. (See illustration on page 65).

Meadow Rue (Thalictrum occidentale). An erect perennial 15 to 36 inches tall with slender leaves are compounded several times in threes with the leaflets round, oblong or orbicular in outline, the margin at the apex notched. Each leaflet has a short slender stem. The flowers are greenish-white and borne in a loose panicle - the petal-like sepals being of a dull greenish color. The numerous stamens give the flower a "bristly" appearance, This plant prefers moist soils at about 5000 feet in elevation.

White Marsh-marigold (Caltha leptosepala). A common plant of moist to wet locations in the Hudsonian zone. It is particularly abundant in places where water from melting snowbanks accumulates. It is a low succulent plant, 3-7 inches tall, with heart-shaped leaves upon succulent stems; leaf margins with numerous rounded teeth. The flowers are white with 7-10 oblong petal-like sepals often with a bluish tinge beneath. (See illustration on page 65).

Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus eschscholtzii). A very common and attractive little plant f moist situations in the Hudsonian meadows. The petals are a bright glossy yellow and appear as if varnished, the entire flower about 3/4 of an inch across. The sepals are small and greenish yellow. The basal leaves are round in outline, deeply cleft into several parts and with the upper margin of each part deeply toothed; the upper leaves are oblanceolate and deeply notched.

Tall Buttercup (Ranunculus bongardi). This plant is from 12-20 inches tall, has deeply cleft leaves and small yellow flowers in cymes.

Water Buttercup (Ranunculus aquatalis). An aquatic plant with small white flowers and two types of leaves - floating and submerged. The former are round or kidney-shaped in outline with margins lobed or parted and the latter are thread-like.

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Descriptions continued...