Wild Flower Identification Guide

WILD FLOWER IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Virginia L. Bailey

I. FLOWERS YELLOW

Plants shrubby; petals 5; blooming over a long period on east side and up to Logan Pass. . . . . . SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL

Plants herbaceous.

Flowers resembling snapdragons, pale yellow and orange, borne along the top side of the erect stem; introduced on the west side. BUTTER AND EGGS

Flowers not as above.

Flower stalks erect, candle-like, 3 to 5 feet tall, sometimes branched; flowers borne close to the stem; common during latter part of season along Going-to-the-Sun Highway. . . . . . MULLEN

Flower stalks not candle-like.

Flowers or flower heads at least ½ inch across, borne singly or in loose clusters of a few.

Flowers not in heads like a daisy.

Flowers 1 to 2 inches across, nodding; leaves mostly 2, basal; blooming soon after snow leaves. GLACIER LILY

Flowers ½ to ¾ inch across.

Leaves opposite, not divided; buds red; blooms late in season at Logan Pass. . ST. JOHN'S WORT

Leaves alternate and basal, deeply divided; buds not red; blooms early and mid-season. ALPINE CINQUEFOIL

Flowers borne in heads more or less like a daisy.

Leaves opposite; flowers yellow throughout; common during mid-summer along Blackfeet Highway and up to Logan Pass. . . . . . ARNICA

Leaves alternate or basal.

Leaves along the stem; flowers 2½ to 3½ inches across, the center brown; petal-like ray flowers yellow; common on east side. . . . GAILLARDIA

Leaves mostly basal; flower heads composed entirely of petal-like rays, yellow or bronze; common on the east side. . . . FALSE DANDELION

Flower or flower heads smaller, usually in dense clusters.

Flower clusters more or less flat-topped, lemon-yellow. SULPHUR PLANT

Flower clusters not flat-topped.

Flowers bright yellow, the cluster of heads broadly elliptic with pointed tip; plants 2 to 3 feet tall; along east side highways late in the season. GOLDENROD

Flowers pale yellow to whitish or rusty, the clusters oblong; plants ½ to 1 foot high.

Flowers pea-like, nodding, the clusters loose and open. . . . . . . YELLOW HEDYSARUM

Flowers tubular, erect or spreading, the clusters compact.

Flowers borne in circles along the stems, yellow to whitish; early in the season on the east side. . . . . YELLOW PENTSTEMON

Flower clusters similar to Indian Paintbrush, rusty-yellow; in fields near Babb. . . . OWL'S CLOVER

II. FLOWERS WHITE

Plants shrubby.

Flowers large, borne singly or in loose clusters.

Leaves large and maple-like; berries bright red, raspberry-like; common in forest openings on both sides of park. . THIMBLEBERRY

Leaves small; flowers in loose showy clusters; berries dark purple; common on both sides of park. . . . . . . SERVICEBERRY

Flowers small, borne in many-flowered clusters.

Flower clusters more or less flat-topped.

Leaves opposite; common along streams. . . RED-OSIER DOGWOOD

Leaves alternate.

Plants low and often herb-like; leaves not divided; common in dry open places. . . . . . WHITE SPIRAEA

Plants taller and branched; leaves divided into separate leaflets; berries bright red. . . . . . MOUNTAIN ASH

Flower clusters not flat-topped.

Flower clusters broadly oblong to roundish.

Leaves divided into separate leaflets; berries tiny, black. . . . . . . ELDERBERRY

Leaves not divided; flower sprays creamy white; west side forests and highway below Going-to-the-Sun Chalets during mid-summer. . . . . . . MOUNTAIN SPRAY

Flower clusters narrowly oblong; fruits small black cherries in drooping clusters; blooming early in season. BLACK CHOKEBERRY

Plants herbaceous.

Flowers borne in more or less flat-topped clusters.

Plants tall and coarse, 2 to 6 feet tall; leaves divided into separate leaflets.

Leaflets large and broad, lobed. . . . . . . . COW PARSNIP

Leaflets narrowly oblong, finely toothed. . . . WHITE ANGELICA

Plants lower, 8 to 24 inches tall.

Leaves deeply divided.

Leaves with few coarse segments; common in meadows. VALERIAN

Leaves finely divided and fern-like; common along dry roadsides. . . . . . . . YARROW

Leaves not divided.

Leaves mostly basal; flowers white to pinkish UMBRELLA PLANT

Leaves along stem; flower heads papery, the center yellow. . . . . . . PEARLY EVERLASTING

Flowers not borne in flat-topped clusters.

Flowers large, borne singly or apparently so; plants low.

Flowers of alpine meadows blooming soon after snow leaves; leaves roundish, coarsely lobed. . . . . . . GLOBEFLOWER

Flowers of lower forests; leaves oval to oblong.

Flowers open funnel-like; leaves 2, basal; berries single, blue. . . . . . . QUEENCUP

Flowers in tight bunches surrounded by 4 petal-like bracts; leaves in circle of 4 at middle of stem; berries bunched, red . . . . . . . BUNCHBERRY

Flowers smaller, not borne singly.

Plants large, 2 to 4 feet high, the leaves grass-like and wiry in a thick basal cluster; flowers borne in large pear-shaped heads. . . . . . . BEARGRASS

Plants smaller.

Flowers dingy white, borne along a slender stem.

Flowers narrowly bell-shaped, erect, inconspicuous; leaves basal; leaf-blades roundish; east side. ALUM-ROOT

Flowers with curved beak-like tip, spreading; leaves divided into narrow segments; Logan Pass. ALPINE LOUSEWORT

Flowers white, tiny, in loose spreading cluster; leaves oblong, in circles of 4 along the stems; east side. NORTHERN BEDSTRAW

III. FLOWERS BLUE TO PURPLE

Flowers in daisy-like heads with yellowish centers.

Plants mostly with erect stems not branched or with few branches; petal-like rays numerous, narrowly strap-like. . . . SHOWY FLEABANE

Plants mostly much-branched; petal-like rays usually fewer and smaller; blooming later in season than the above. . . . PURPLE ASTER

Flowers not daisy-like, or if in heads, petal-like rays none.

Flowers borne singly or few in a loose cluster.

Plants of alpine meadows.

Flowers with spreading petals; leaves divided into narrow lobes; early-blooming. . . . . . . PASQUE FLOWER

Flowers narrowly bell-shaped, rather fluted; leaves opposite, not divided; late-blooming. . . . . BLUE GENTIAN

Plants not confined to alpine meadows.

Plants vine-like and trailing over banks, flowers pea-like; conspicuous along Many Glacier Highway. . . . . . . VETCH

Plants erect.

Coarse plants with spiny stems and leaves; flowers in heads. . . . . . . PURPLE THISTLE

Slender Plants.

Stems not branched; flowers showy, bell-shaped, nodding; late-blooming along roadsides. . . HAREBELL

Plants branching and open; flowers small, light blue with yellow centers; fruits small burs; common on east side, early. . . . . . . BUR FORGET-ME-NOT

Flowers borne in heads or clusters.

Flower stems leafless; leaves 2, basal.

Flowers with spreading petals, dark purple-blue, in oblong clusters; early blooming. . . . . . BLUE CAMAS

Flowers bell-shaped, reddish-purple, in dense heads. PURPLE ONION

Flower stems leafy.

Flowers pea-like, light purplish-blue; leaf-blades roundish, divided, silky. . . . . . . LUPINE

Flowers not pea-like.

Flowers tubular; leaves opposite, not divided.

Flowers borne in circles along the round stems; leaves not hairy. . . . . . BLUE PENTSTEMON

Flowers borne in oblong heads; stems square; leaves hairy. . . . . . . HEAL-ALL

Flowers not tubular.

Flowers open-bell-shaped, with spreading lobes all alike, not tubular, borne in compact clusters; leaves deeply lobed; common on east side. BLUE PHACELIA

Flowers with separate petals not all alike; leaves deeply divided to the center; found at high elevations. . . . . . . BLUE LARKSPUR

IV. FLOWERS (OR SHOWY FRUITS) PINK TO RED, PURPLE-RED, ORANGE, OR BROWN

Low alpine plants usually less than 6 inches high.

Plants with erect woody stems, short linear leaves, and nodding bell-haped flowers. . . . . . . RED MOUNTAINHEATH

Plants erect, grass-like; flower clusters head-like, dark brown. MEADOW-RUSH

Taller Plants not confined to alpine zones.

Plants shrubby, or if not, then 2 to 5 feet high.

Flowers or fruits large and showy, mostly 1 inch or more across.

Talls shrubs or small trees up to 15 feet high; fruits winged, the wings red or green, borne in spreading pairs; abundant at low and middle altitudes. . . . . MOUNTAIN MAPLE

Plants lower, up to 5 feet high; flowers rose-pink.

Plants erect; leaves large, roundish, deeply lobed as in maple leaves; flowers borne along upper part of stem; common on east side and along Going-to-the-Sun Highway. WILD HOLLYHOCK

Plants spreading and often low; usually thorny; leaves divided into separate leaflets. . . . . . . WILD ROSE

Flowers smaller.

Flowers pale pink, bell-shaped, several on slender nodding stems in upper leaf-axils; occurs in middle forests. FOOL'S HUCKLEBERRY

Flowers rose-color, borne in dense flat-topped clusters; occurs in upper forests and meadows. . . . . . PINK SPIRAEA

Plants herbaceous, mostly not exceeding 2 feet in height (except fireweed).

Flowers borne singly.

Flowers orange-red.

Flowers large, erect, resembling tiger lilies; leaves in circles along the stem; Waterton Highway. RED LILY, CANADA LILY

Flowers smaller, spreading, tubular; common in the upper meadows. . . . . . RED MONKEYFLOWER

Flowers light purplish-pink; petals 5, spreading; common on east side. . . . . . . WILD GERANIUM

Flowers not borne singly.

Plants sometimes up to 4 feet high; flowers magenta, in showy oblong clusters at the ends of the stems; common in open places on both sides of the park. . . . . . FIREWEED

Plants smaller.

Flowers borne along sides of slender stem, the ends beaked and turning upwards like an elephant's trunk; Logan Pass. . . . . . . ELEPHANT HEAD

Flowers not as above.

Flowering stems not leafy; herbage with onion-like odor; flowers pink to whitish, nodding from the top of the stem. . . . . . NODDING ONION

Flowering stems leafy; without odor.

Flower clusters red to orange, narrowly to broadly oblong, composed mostly of broad colored bracts. . . . . . INDIAN PAINTBRUSH

Flowers rose color, borne in broad more or less flat-topped heads; stems square. . . . HORSEMINT