Across
- 2. This tiny foothill flower is a variety of a species also referred to as “beardtongue,” due to the hairy stamen that looks like a tongue in the center of lip-shaped flowers.
- 3. This montane plant is the dominant shrub over vast areas of the Great Basin region, and the volatile oils responsible for its unique aroma are so flammable they burn very easily.
- 4. Also commonly called Western Snowberry, this creeping shrub’s white berries are toxic to humans
- 7. The powdery white substance that grows on the bark of this subalpine tree is a natural sunscreen.
- 8. This beautiful pink mountain-dwelling wildflower forms extensive moss-like carpets that almost seem to flow over the rocks and crevices high up in the mountains.
- 9. Probably because of this subalpine plant’s large, heart-shaped basal leaves, Some Native American groups would mix the root of this plant with ocher and bird feather and used as sort of a love potion.
- 11. The seeds of this foothill grass were ground for flour, mixed with water and cooked into a mush by the Navajo, Hopi, Apache, and Paiute, to name a few.
- 15. This gnarled alpine tree species may only grow to about 12-40 feet tall, but they are extremely long-lived, with some of the more ancient trees known to be more than 4,000 years old.
- 16. The seeds of this knobby, segmented, low-lying valley shrub have been used as food, both currently and back through prehistory.
- 18. This montane shrub rarely reproduces from acorns, but instead most of its reproduction is through its deep, extensive root system. This allows it to survive wildfires. Its acorns are mostly eaten by wild turkey, mule deer, and black bears.
- 19. Despite its name, wildlife must find this desert-living shrub tasty, as it is a very important browse plant in the western states.
- 21. Some Native American groups collected the salts extruded from the leaves of this valley plant, and used them to flavor foods.
Down
- 1. With beautiful, bright yellow flowers, nearly all parts of this foothill plant were used as food and also medicinally by various Native American groups, from its arrow shaped leaves to its deep, thick taproot, which could be used as a coffee substitute.
- 5. The wood of this montane tree is one of the densest of trees native to Utah, and due to its strength and durability native Americans used it to make bows and spearheads.
- 6. Also known as “sweetroot,” this subalpine plant’s root has a sweet liquorice flavor and has been used as flavoring for foods.
- 10. This fragile alpine plant is one of the earliest to emerge in spring. Its fronds wither during droughts and quickly reappear after the next rainy spell.
- 12. Utah’s state flower, the Ute tribe taught Mormon settlers to eat the bulbs of this foothill plant in times of scarcity.
- 13. A noxious weed in Utah, this montane grass creates dense monocultures, grows spiky seeds that stick to clothing and animal fur, and is highly flammable, contributing to intense wildfires.
- 14. This valley plant grows in salty regions and is known as an “accumulator.” As it absorbs saltwater from the ground, the salt is removed and stored in special chambers within the plant that drop off in segments once they’re full.
- 17. This native montane shrub can be used to make rubber, but the process isn’t cost-effective. Some Native American groups used it to make chewing gum, tea, cough syrup, and yellow dye, and the plant’s rubbery twigs were used in making baskets.
- 20. Also known as Monument Plant, this impressively large and showy subalpine plant is monocarpic, meaning it produces flowers only once in its lifetime of 20-80 years and then dies.