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<br />This species is one of the more palatable kinds of lupine; cattle and horses, on <br />the average, utilize about 30 percent of [he herbage, and sheep and goats about <br />50 to 60 percent. This relatively high use is unfortunate because the plant is <br />particularly poisonous to cattle and horses, as well as somewhat toxic to sheep. <br />In this respect it is almost unique among the lupines, only one other species <br />(and that a very closely related one), looseflower lupine (L. laxiflo'rus), being <br />identified definitely as seriously poisonous to cattle and horses.. Tailcup lu- <br />pine may also be poisonous to game animals although deer graze it rather freely, <br />and no authentic reports of deer losses attributable to i[ have been received. <br />Although [he lupines as a group are well known, many species are so similar in <br />appearance [hat is is extremely difficult to distinguish between them unless one <br />has a wide knowledge of the genus and considerable botanical training. In gen- <br />eral, [he lupines as a genus are considered to be poisonous to sheep, particu- <br />larly the seeds and pods. <br />Stellaria jamesiana <br />(Tuber Starwort) <br />Tuber starwort, known also as starweed and mountain chickweed, is a sticky-hairy <br />herb, perennial Erom thickened, starchy, often jointed rootstocks. I[ ranges, <br />chiefly in moist sites, from the wood Land and ponderosa pine to [he aspen and <br />spruce belts, from Wyoming to Washington, California, and western Texas. In [he <br />Rocky Mountains and Intermountain Region it occurs from about 4,500 [0 10,000 <br />feet above sea level, but in [he Northwest it is found at 1,500 feet. Although <br />occurring in a great variety of soils, it is more likely to grow on sandy or gra- <br />velly loams than in clayey soils. It is common among shrubs and in the aspen <br />type. <br />Tuber starwort rates mention largely because of its wide distribution, common- <br />ness, and conspicuousness when in flower. The flowers are cropped by grazing <br />animals, and [he herbage is fair in palatability, or occasionally fairly good for <br />sheep, and poor to fair for cattle. This variation depends chiefly on freshness <br />;~ of foliage and presence in quantity of more palatable associates. <br />2-85 <br />