This cluster of shrubs is comprised of gooseberries, a plant easily recognized by the sharp, half-inch spines on its stems. Songbirds seek out the ripe berries for food. Indians used the fruit, which ripens to a deep red in the fall, to flavor meat in a mixture they called wasna. The shrub's sharp spines form a canopy often used by small game to escape from predators. In many areas along the trail, stinging nettles can cause welts and inflammation on the skin if touched. Their leaves are dark green, spear-pointed, and 3 to 6 inches long with saw-toothed edges, and they grow in barnyards, fence rows, and along roadsides.