I found some of the pioneer writing, this by Bunnel, about the Flora, and have the thought to put together the names with the photos. People wrote well in the 19th century. I think the pic is Blue Joint. From four or five days ago. Got out for five minutes today but camera battery low.
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Along the river banks and bordering the meadows are found the wild rose, and where the soil is rich, dry and mellow, the wild sunflower grows luxuriantly. Of wild fruits, the red raspberry and strawberry are the only ones worthy of mention, and these are only found in limited quantities. A thornless red raspberry grows upon the mountains, but its blossoms are apt to be nipped by frosts and the plant is not a prolific bearer.
The meadows of the valley are generally moist, and in the springtime boggy. Later in the season they become firmer, and some parts of them where not in possession of sedges, afford an abundant growth of "wild Timothy;" blue joint, Canada red-top and clover. In addition to these nutritious meadow-grasses, there is growing on the coarse granite, sandy land, a hard, tough wire bunch grass unfit for grazing except when quite young. This grass is highly prized by the Indians for making baskets and small mats. Its black seeds were pulverized and used as food, by being converted into mush, or sometimes it was mixed with acorn meal and was then made into a kind of gruel. The common "brake" and many beautiful species of rock ferns and mosses are quite abundant in the shady parts of the valley, and in the canñons, and more especially are they found growing within the influence of the cool, moist air near the falls. Growing in the warm sunlight below El Capitan, may be seen plants common among the foot hills and slaty mountains. Of these plants, the manzanita, the bahia confertiflora and the California poppy are the most conspicuous.
CHAPTER XV
The Flora of the Region of the Yosemite--General Description of the Valley and its Principal Points of Interest, with their Heights
DISCOVERY OF THE YOSEMITE,ANDTHE INDIAN WAR OF 1851,WHICH LED TO THAT EVENT.
BY LAFAYETTE HOUGHTON BUNNELL, M.D.,OF THE MARIPOSA BATTALION, ONE OF THE DISCOVERERS,LATE SURGEON THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENTWISCONSIN VOLUNTEERS.
The meadows of the valley are generally moist, and in the springtime boggy. Later in the season they become firmer, and some parts of them where not in possession of sedges, afford an abundant growth of "wild Timothy;" blue joint, Canada red-top and clover. In addition to these nutritious meadow-grasses, there is growing on the coarse granite, sandy land, a hard, tough wire bunch grass unfit for grazing except when quite young. This grass is highly prized by the Indians for making baskets and small mats. Its black seeds were pulverized and used as food, by being converted into mush, or sometimes it was mixed with acorn meal and was then made into a kind of gruel. The common "brake" and many beautiful species of rock ferns and mosses are quite abundant in the shady parts of the valley, and in the canñons, and more especially are they found growing within the influence of the cool, moist air near the falls. Growing in the warm sunlight below El Capitan, may be seen plants common among the foot hills and slaty mountains. Of these plants, the manzanita, the bahia confertiflora and the California poppy are the most conspicuous.
CHAPTER XV
The Flora of the Region of the Yosemite--General Description of the Valley and its Principal Points of Interest, with their Heights
DISCOVERY OF THE YOSEMITE,ANDTHE INDIAN WAR OF 1851,WHICH LED TO THAT EVENT.
BY LAFAYETTE HOUGHTON BUNNELL, M.D.,OF THE MARIPOSA BATTALION, ONE OF THE DISCOVERERS,LATE SURGEON THIRTY-SIXTH REGIMENTWISCONSIN VOLUNTEERS.
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