EVERGREENS OF MESA VERDE.
by
Chester Biesen.

In sharp contrast to much of the desert region surrounding it, stands Mesa Verde, a region uplifted more than mile above the level of the sea, of not abundant precipitation, and yet an area of abundant plant life. The conspicuous botanical feature of this romantic green table-land is, of course, her evergreens. One may go from one side of the Mesa to the other without being out of sight of the two principal trees of the low shrubby forests, the Utah Juniper, with its yellowish-green foliage, and the Pinon Pine, popularized by many fiction writers of the West. These two trees vie with each other for numerical strength, but there are others: the Rocky Mountain Red Cedar, with its fine foliage and graceful bearing; the Single Seed Juniper, with its sharp scale-like leaves; the Western Yellow Pine; and the Stately Douglas Fir.

While the trees of the park completely cover the mesa areas, they do not grow densely together, and there is little evidence of "self-pruning" as one sees in the more humid climates. For this reason as well as for the fact that usually heavy downpour accompany each severe electrical storm, the fire hazard of the park is not considered to be very great. It is interesting to note that Mesa Verde has not been troubled with severe fires in recent years. During the present season only two small fires have been reported, and they were quickly extinguished by the Park's efficient protective organization.

Following is a brief description, for reference purposes, of the evergreens that have been identified here:

PINON PINE, NUT PINE.
(Pinus edulis—Engelm.)

The Pinon is one of the most interesting trees in this land of the cliff-dweller and might be called the typical tree of the Southwest. In a place where life was a continual struggle for existence, a plant growing such a rich edible nut was naturally highly prized. The Pinon nut was gathered in large quantities by the people who dwelt in the cliffs, but is no less popular today among Indians and white people. Ground and used as a meal, butter spread, shortening, and eaten as a nut by the Indians, it also brings high prices from confectioners, who consider it a delicacy. The wood of the pinon, valued as a building material, was used in the construction of many of the primitive structures. Strong and durable, it made excellent supports for the floors of the storied structures. Its lasting qualities, coupled with its accurate recording of the seasons in its rings, has made it invaluable in dating many of the early homesites of this vicinity.

The Pinon can be easily recognized in the Mesa Verde as there is but one other variety of pine in the park, Western Yellow, which it in no way resembles. It is a round-topped, low-spreading tree, branched near the base, and usually does not attain a height of over 15 or 20 feet. The needles are about an inch in length and grow two in a bundle, (rarely in threes). The cones containing the edible seeds are nearly round in shape and mature in the fall. The bark is coarse, hard, and has a blackish appearance.

WESTERN YELLOW PINE, ROCK PINE.
(Pinus ponderosa, var. scopulorum—Engelm.)

The Western Yellow is one of the finest and most beautiful of pines as well as being widely distributed and of high commercial importance. It is not seen very frequently in the park, but as there are some excellent specimens in the heads of Morefield, Frater, and other canons, it is therefore included in this outline. This majestically shaped pine can be distinguished from other members of this genus by its long straight trunk, large open crown with upturned branches, and its distinctive foliage. The needles are long, from 4 to 10 inches, and occur in bundles of threes. The bundles are born in clusters near the ends of the branches, leaving the rest bare. The cones are 1/2 to three inches in length, but are quite variable in size and color. They mature in two seasons and shed their seeds usually in September.

The bark of the older trees is broken up into reddish-colored plates while that of the younger trees is furrowed in ridges and is somewhat black in appearance. The wood is fine-grained, usually light, and highly prized by lumbermen.

THE JUNIPERS.

The Juniper genus is represented by thee specimens in the park. The scale-like foliage, the stringy bark, and berry like fruits are all typical marks of identification of this group which are sometimes called "cedars." The wood, while of excellent quality, is not suitable for lumber because of the short, twisted, and gnarled trunks. It does find a ready use however for fuel, fence posts, and for small manufactured articles.

1. UTAH JUNIPER, DESERT JUNIPER.
(Juniperus utahensis—Engelm.)

The Utah Juniper, most common of this species and always associated with Pinon, is seen everywhere on the mesa. The cliff-dwellers probably used it extensively for fuel and found its dry stringy bark very effective tinder for use with the fire drill. Its timbers were also used in their stone-built apartment houses and in most cases are remarkably well preserved. Their ring chronology is not considered very accurate, however, and as it is difficult to read, is seldom used in dating the ruins.

Utahensis is a short tree whose trunk usually consists of several gnarled or twisted stems. The foliage consists of small scale-like leaves which overlap the twigs, and are arranged in pairs opposite each other, yellowish green in color. The berries are made conspicuous by a whitish bloom with which they are covered, but which rubs off quite easily, exposing the greenish colored skin beneath. They normally contain one seed which is two-angled and larger than that of most junipers. The pulp of the berry is used in making gin, and is eaten by birds. Since the hard seed passes through the digestive tract of the bird unchanged, this is one of its adaptations for seed dispersal.

The wood has the characteristic aromatic odor common to all junipers, altho not as pronounced as in some. The sapwood is thick and whiter, while the heartwood is yellow brown in color. The bark which is very shreddy, can be pulled off in long strips and is very useful as a fire kindling material. The adaptability of the Utah juniper enables this tree to live over a wide range and on barren and exposed slopes.

2. ONE-SEED JUNIPER
(Juniperus monosperma—Englm.)

One-seed Juniper is rarely seen in the park but is an interesting variety, nevertheless. It is quite similar to utahensis in size and general appearance. The foliage of the younger specimens is somewhat more acute and this sharpness of the bract-like leaves, coupled with the fact that they protrude from the twig more than in other varieties, make it an exceedingly uncomfortable plant on which to seize hold as canon climbers are prone to do. Actual and final distinction between utahensis and monosperma must be made from the seed. The seeds of monosperma are four-angled and copper color throughout, while those of utahensis are acute angled, light brown in color below, and with a dark brown tip.

3. ROCKY MOUNTAIN RED CEDAR
Juniperus scopulorum—Sarg.)

The Rocky Mountain Red Cedar is one of the finest members of the Juniper genus but because of its scarcity has never been considered of much commercial importance. The red wood is fine-grained, very durable and could be put to any use made of the true cedars.

It can be easily be distinguished from the other varieties of junipers by its greater height, smoother bark, and also by the fact that in the sheltered canons of the Mesa Verde it frequently, instead of spreading out in its bushy form, has one straight trunk with a tall narrow crown. The foliage is also distinctive, being much finer and lace-like, and is light to dark green in color.

The smaller blueberries usually contain two seeds which are grooved, pointed at the top, and mature every two years. The bark is cut in narrow seams, but is more reddish-brown in color. It likewise is an excellent fire tinder.

DOUGLAS FIR, DOUGLAS SPRUCE, FALSE HEMLOCK.
(Pseudotsuga taxifolia (Poir) Britt.)
(Pseudotsuga mucronota—Raf.)

There has been perhaps more confusion regarding the classification of this tree than any other evergreen. Called both a fir and a spruce, it is neither, and yet possesses some similarity to each. On careful examination it will be found that wood, cones, and foliage, differ radically from those of the true fir group and in a number of respects from the spruce. The generic name Pseudotsuga, places it, of course, in a separate scientific classification and means "False Hemlock, having foliage like a yew." For its common name, however, while Douglas Spruce is used quite considerably, it is undoubtedly known over a much wider area as Douglas Fir, therefore probably the preferable designation.

The stately Douglas Fir under favorable conditions becomes one of the larges trees in the West, and is the most valuable lumber tree in America. There are about a dozen specimens of this tree in the head of Spruce tree Canon from which it has taken its name. One was found growing directly in front of Spruce Tree Ruin, which likewise has taken its name from this tree. In the humid Pacific coast region it ordinarily attains a height of from 175 to 200 feet and a diameter of from 3 to 6 feet. On the Mesa Verde, however, it seldom reaches a height of over 100 feet. Its shape is pyramidal with a rather open crown whose branches have many smaller branchlets arranged in a dense formation. The foliage, differing from that of the true spruce, consists of soft, flat leaves arranged spirally around the stem. The needles are about an inch in length, blunt-pointed, and somewhat smaller than those of the true firs. The smooth grayish colored bark of the young trees is covered with resin blisters but that of the older specimens becomes furrowed, loses its resin, and turns reddish-brown in color.

One of the best marks of identification is the cone which differs decidedly from that of the true firs. It hangs downward, is found over the entire tree, and has a distinctive three-pronged bract extending outward from the cone scales. The cones of the true firs grow pointing upward, bear in the tops of the trees, and never have the protruding three-pointed bract.