19. MONKSHOOD Buttercup Family _Aconitum columbianum_
Found abundantly at Cedar Breaks in the more open forested areas where there is partial shade and plenty of moisture. The purple Monkshood rank almost as high as their cousins the Columbines and Larkspurs in charm and beauty, with a quaintness and individuality all their own. The flower features a modified sepal shaped like a hood or helmet that protects the stamens. Extracts from the thick, turnip-shaped root are used medicinally in the treatment of certain heart diseases.
20. WESTERN BANEBERRY Buttercup Family _Actaea arguta_
This plant may be found in the shady forest of good moisture. It is about one to two feet tall with handsome leaves but rather inconspicuous heads of creamy-white flowers. The conspicuous bright-red or waxy-white berries about the size of peas in a dense cluster make a very attractive display in late summer. The berries are somewhat poisonous, hence the name Baneberry.
21. SAND BUTTERCUP Buttercup Family _Ranunculus juniperinus_
One of the very early blooming plants in Zion in the Transition or Upper Sonoran Zone, which often appears from mid-February to April, in bare sandy places among the Junipers and Pinyons, is the Sand Buttercup. Along the trail to the Canyon Overlook above the Great Arch is perhaps the best place to find this plant in Zion.
The flowers, a pinkish white, are found on short stems or spreading branches close to the ground. As the plants are rather small and not very showy, it takes careful searching to find them.
22. OREGON GRAPE Barberry Family _Berberis repens_
Because of its hollylike leaves, this dwarf shrub is sometimes called the Holly Grape, but it is more commonly known as the Oregon Grape. A rather prostrate growth form accounts for a third common name; namely, Creeping Barberry.
This plant is found sparingly scattered over the areas and is probably more abundant in Zion than in Bryce Canyon or Cedar Breaks. The fruit looks very much like a cluster of grapes and is often gathered for the making of jellies or wine. The woody stems were used by the Indians in making a yellow dye.
The plants are helpful in holding the soil, as they spread close to the ground.
23. FREMONT BARBERRY Barberry Family _Berberis fremontii_