UPPER
MONTANE VEGETATION This community occurs commonly between about 8,000
and 9,000 feet. The following trees may be encountered: Englemann spruce--square
needles in cross-section and small cones; white fir--flat, blunt needles
about 5-7 cm long, and yellow-greenish or greenish-purple cones standing
upright on limbs; Limber pine--five needles in a bundle and cones up
to six inches long; Bristlecone pine--resin spotted, five needles in
a bundle; Douglas fir--soft, flat needles with petiole (stalk-like)
base, hanging cones with snake-like projections; Quaking aspen--straight,
white-barked trunks; Lodgepole pine--slender tree with two needles in
a bundle, found in Uinta Mountains; Subalpine fir--single, flat needles,
branchlets without hairs, dark purple cones that stand upright on tree
and glisten with resin. Many colorful flowers can also be encountered
in this region: larkspur--deep blue flowers and deeply cut leaves; mountain
bells--bell-shaped pink or blue flowers, leaves opposite; senecio--4-6
inches high, thickish succulent leaves, yellow sunflower-like flowers
in headed clusters; monkshood--helmet-shaped purple-blue flowers in
loose upright cluster, alternate toothed leaves which are deeply incised
about base, largest leaves at base, poisonous; daisies--lavender rays
and large yellow discs; white marsh marigold--buttercup-like flower,
shiny dark green basal leaves; monkey flowers--irregular snapdragon-like
flower, leaves opposite, found in wet areas; white bog orchids--green,
rose, greenish-white or blue-purple, all orchids have three sepals and
three petals; gentians--oblong opposite leaves, funnel-form or tubular
flowers, stems always smooth; sedges--sharp-edged, triangular grass-like stems, "sedges have edges"; columbines--showy 1-3 inch flowers, basal
portion of each petal extends backward forming spurs 1-2 inches long
which distinguish these plants from all others; shooting star--dart-shaped
flower on slender stalk, found in moist areas; elephanthead--magenta-pink
or yellow flowers resemble elephant's head, found in marshy areas; pussytoes--matted
white foliage sending up pink or white clusters of dainty flower heads
on felt-like white stems; wallflower--orange brown or rose-purple flower
with four petals; yellow paintbrush.