1. 4 Quizzes (2.5% each)
Quiz: you will be shown the pictures in this study guide.
In March, you will complete an online quiz each week. Quizzes will include multiple choice questions on the identity, habitat and moisture indicator group of the indicator plants in this study guide.
A multiple-choice question will appear next to the pictures.
You will have one minute to select the best answer for each question.

2. Genus species Family name common name Habitat (Elevation zone)
View the pictures of the indicator plants
Family name
common name
Habitat
(Elevation zone)
Moisture Regime Indicated
Look at stems, leaves, inflorescences,
and other distinguishing characteristics
Hyperlink to the eflora web page for each species
Background colours = visual cue of moisture regime indicated

3. How to use this study guide
View the pictures of the indicator plants
Learn the scientific name, common name, habitat and the moisture regime indicated by each plant.
Notes:
Scientific names = Latin, in italics
Genus = capitalized
species = lower case
Family = capitalized
Common name = lower case, unless it includes a formal noun
Look at stems, leaves, inflorescences,
and other distinguishing characteristics

4. How to use this study guide
View the pictures of the indicator plants
The indicator plants are grouped by their moisture regimes
= background colour
of the slides.
Groups will be tested in the following order:
Very Dry to Dry (red)
Fresh to Moist (green)
Dry to Moist (yellow + green)
Moist to Very Wet (blue)
Look at stems, leaves, inflorescences,
and other distinguishing characteristics

5. How to use this study guide
View the pictures of the indicator plants
Groups will be tested in the following order:
Very Dry to Dry (red)
Fresh to Moist (green)
Dry to Moist (yellow + green)
Moist to Very Wet (blue)
The first test will examine group 1 only. Test 2 will examine groups 1 + 2, Test 3 = groups 1 to 3, Test 4 = groups 1 to 4
Look at stems, leaves, inflorescences,
and other distinguishing characteristics

6. Agropyron spicatum Poaceae bluebunch wheatgrass Grasslands +
Poaceae
bluebunch wheatgrass
Grasslands +
dry open forests
Very dry to dry

7. dry open forests + disturbed sites
Bromus tectorum
Poaceae
cheatgrass
Grasslands +
dry open forests + disturbed sites
Dry

8. Balsamorhiza sagittata
Asteraceae
arrow-leaved balsam root
Grasslands +
open forests
Very dry to dry
Photo: Wesley Brookes
Photo: Wesley Brookes

9. Chrysothamnus nauseosus
Asteraceae rabbit brush Grasslands, open forests, disturbed sites Dry

10. Asteraceae yarrow Open forests, disturbed sites Very dry to moist
Achillea milefolium
Asteraceae yarrow Open forests, disturbed sites Very dry to moist
Photo: Wesley Brookes

11. open forests, overgrazed sites
Artemisia frigida
Asteraceae
pasture sage
Grasslands,
open forests, overgrazed sites
Dry

12. Opuntia fragilis
Cactaceae prickly pear cactus Grasslands + open PP forests + rock outcrops Very dry
Photo: Wesley Brookes

13. Sedum lanceolatum
Crassulaceae lance-leaved stonecrop Open grassy slopes, sandy benches, ridges, rock outcrops Dry

14. Juniperus communis Cupressaceae common juniper Open forests,
rock outcrops
Very dry to dry
Photo: Wesley Brookes

15. Dry open woods, exposed grassy places, rocky crevices,
Allium cernuum
Liliaceae
nodding onion
Dry open woods, exposed grassy places, rocky crevices,
with Douglas-fir
Dry

16. Geum triflorum Rosaceae old man’s whiskers
Open calcareous grassy sites,
open dry forest, subalpine meadows
Dry
Photo: Wesley Brookes

17. Penstemon fruticosus Scrophulariaceae showy penstomon Rocky sites,
open forest
Dry

18. Selaginella densa
Selaginellaceae compact selaginella Dry, exposed ridges, grasslands, rocky outcrops, submontane  alpine Dry

19. Cladonia spp.
Parmeliaceae Cladonia lichens Over mineral soil, rock, humus + decaying wood in open dry forests and grasslands, Submontane  subalpine Dry

20. Calamagrostis rubescens
Poaceae pinegrass Forests Dry to fresh

21. Poaceae rough fescue Grasslands + forest openings Moist
Festuca scabrella
Poaceae rough fescue Grasslands + forest openings Moist

22. Poaceae Kentucky bluegrass Grasslands, open forests, wetlands Moist
Poa pratensis
Poaceae Kentucky bluegrass Grasslands, open forests, wetlands Moist

23. Asteraceae mountain arnica Montane forests Fresh to moist
Arnica latifolia
Asteraceae mountain arnica Montane forests Fresh to moist

24. Arnica cordifolia Asteraceae heart-leaved arnica Montane forests
Fresh to moist
Photo: Wesley Brookes
Photo: Wesley Brookes

25. Artemisia tridentata Asteraceae big sagebrush Grasslands Dry to fresh

26. Shaded forests, mixedwoods
Aralia nudicaulis
Araliaceae
wild sarsaparilla
Shaded forests, mixedwoods
Fresh to moist

27. Caprifoliaceae twinflower openclosed forests Fresh to moist
Linnaea borealis
Caprifoliaceae twinflower openclosed forests Fresh to moist
Photo: Wesley Brookes

28. Symphoricarpos albus
Caprifoliaceae common snowberry Open forests, grass openings, rock outcrops Dry to fresh

29.
Lupinus arcticus
Fabaceae arctic lupine High-elevation meadows and subalpine forests; medium-elevation open forests Fresh to moist

30. Lupinus sericeus Fabaceae silky lupine Grasslands, open PP forests,
Lupinus sericeus
Fabaceae
silky lupine
Grasslands,
open PP forests,
disturbed sites
Dry to fresh

31. Ericaceae grouseberry Open conifer montane forests Dry to moist
Vaccinium scoparium
Ericaceae grouseberry Open conifer montane forests Dry to moist

32. Moist forests + openings, streambanks, meadows
Streptopus roseus
Liliaceae
rosy twistedstalk
Moist forests + openings, streambanks, meadows
Fresh to moist

33. Mossy well-drained conifer forests, clearings
Chimaphila umbellata
Ericaceae
prince’s pine
Mossy well-drained conifer forests, clearings
Dry to fresh

34. Aster conspicuus Asteraceae showy aster Open forests,
meadows + clearings
Dry to moist

35. Vaccinium caespitosum
Ericaceae dwarf blueberry Mossy conifer montane forests, wet meadows, mountain slopes, alpine tundra Dry to moist

36. Pachistima myrsenites
Celastraceae falsebox Openclosed forests Dry to moist

37. Shepherdia canadensis
Elaeagnaceae Soopallalie Open forests Dry to moist

38. Orthilia secunda Ericaceae one-sided wintergreen
Mossy coniferous forests,
submontane to subalpine
Dry to moist

39. Fragaria virginiana
Rosaceae wild strawberry Open forests, disturbed sites, submontane to subalpine Dry to moist

40. Amelanchier alnifolia
Rosaceae Saskatoon Open forests, grasslands Dry to moist

41. Spiraea betulifolia Rosaceae birch-leaved spirea Open forests
Dry to moist

42. Peltigera aphthosa
Parmeliaceae Pelt lichen Over moss, humus, rocks, decaying logs in open forests Dry to moist

43. Pleurozium schreberi
Parmeliaceae red-stemmed feathermoss Coniferous forest floors, on humus and logs, submontane-subalpine Dry to moist

44. Ptilium crista-castrensis
Parmeliaceae knight’s plume Coniferous forest floors, on humus, logs, rocks, submontane-subalpine Dry to moist

45. Calamagrostis canadensis
Poaceae bluejoint Forests, meadows, wetlands, clearings Moist to wet

46. Carex spp. Cyperaceae sedge Commonly in fens, bogs, wetlands,
wet forests, lakeshores
Mostly wet

47. Senecio triangularis
Asteraceae arrow-leaved groundsel Meadows, streambanks, slide tracks, open forest, mostly subalpine-alpine Moist to wet

48. Betula glandulosa
Betulaceae scrub birch Fens, wetlands, seepage areas, streambanks, montanesubalpine Moist to wet

49. Alnus tenuifolia
Betulaceae mountain alder Edges of streams, ponds, lakes, swamps; submontanesubalpine Moist to wet

50. Lonicera utahensis
Caprifoliaceae Utah honeysuckle Forest openings + clearings Moist to wet
Source: Walter Sigmund

51. Lonicera involucrata
Caprifoliaceae black twinberry Moist forests, clearings, riparian areas, swamps Moist to wet

52. Ledum glandulosum
Ericaceae trapper’s tea Montane conifer forests, bogs, wet depressions, acidic soils Moist to wet

53. high-elevation snowbeds
Trollius laxus
Ranunculaceae
globe flower
Meadows, seepage sites,
streambanks,
high-elevation snowbeds
Wet

54. Salix spp.
Salicaceae willow Riparian areas, meadows, wetlands, moist clearings Fresh to wet

55. Open conifer forests, submontane-subalpine
Cladina spp.
Parmeliaceae
reindeer lichens
Open conifer forests, submontane-subalpine
Dry to wet