The pale to deep rose-purple flowers of the Purple Saxifrage grow in crowded spikes and form bright spots of color in rock-clefts and on rocks at 8000-13000 ft. The stems are 4-8 in. tall and the flowers bloom in early summer. Whiplash Saxifrage Saxifraga flagellaris Plate 30, fig. 10 This small plant with its yellow blossoms receives its name from the presence of little whip-like runners at the base. The plants are only 1-8 in. tall and occur on alpine peaks among the rocks at 10000-14000 ft. They bloom all summer. Gooseberry Ribes lacustre Plate 30, fig. 4 This pink-flowered Gooseberry blooms in spring and early summer. It is a shrubby plant about 1-3 ft. high and occurs in the mountains at 7000-12000 ft. The berry is red and covered with prickles. Gooseberry Ribes leptanthum Plate 30, fig. 6 The yellow-flowered Gooseberry blooms in early summer. It is a shrub about 1-3 ft. in height and grows in the mountains at 6000-10000 ft. The berry is black when ripe, and edible. The wild gooseberries are related to the cultivated one and to the currant. [Illustration: Plate 32 EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY 1 Fireweed: Chamaenerium angustifolium 2 Scarlet Gaura: Gaura coccinea 3 Meriolix: Meriolix serrulata 4 Evening Primrose: Onagra biennis MENTZELIA FAMILY 5 Evening Star: Mentzelia multiflora CACTUS FAMILY 6 Prickly Pear: Opuntia humifusa 7 Purple Cactus: Cactus viviparus] EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY Fireweed Chamaenerium angustifolium Plate 32, fig. 1 The Fireweed, as the name indicates, is found on burnt areas especially, though it also occurs in meadows and open woods and copses. The flowers are pale pink to deep rose-purple and bloom all summer long. The plants are widely distributed over the continent up to 10000 ft. and grow as tall as 5 ft. The name “Willow Herb” is sometimes given on account of the resemblance of the leaves to those of the willow. The Fireweed is cultivated as an ornamental plant in England, where the leaves are also used as an adulterant of tea. The foliage forms a wholesome vegetable when boiled, and the young shoots or suckers make a good substitute for asparagus. Beer and vinegar are made in Kamchatka by fermenting the shoots and pith. The down on the seeds resembles cotton, but possesses little tenacity, and the fibres are too brittle and short to be of any value except in the adulteration of other material. Scarlet Gaura Gaura coccinea Plate 32, fig. 2