64 



edge of the flora of that region. Dr. Palmer left Sau Francisco Decern- 

 her 25, by steamer, in company with Mr. T. S. Brandegee, who, landing 

 at Magdalena Bay, proceeded overland to Cape St. Lucas, while Dr. 

 Palmer continued to Guaymas, Mexico, and from there returned to La 

 Paz. In about two weeks, from January 20 to February 5, one hun- 

 dred and seventeen species were collected. Among these are two new 

 genera, fourteen new species, and many more very rare ones. The 

 southern half of the Californian peninsula has been almost unknown 

 botanically until the last two seasons, when, through the energetic 

 labors of Dr. Palmer and Mr. Brandegee, many new and rare species 

 have been brought to the knowledge of science. The few collections 

 that have been previously made in this region are well known to 

 botanists. The first collection was made by Mr. K. B. Hinds on the 

 voyage of H. M. S. Sulphur in 1839. Only about one hundred and 

 fifty species in all were collected, the larger part being new. They were 

 from Lower California, at San Quentin, San Bartolom6, Bay of Mag- 

 dalena, and Cape St. Lucas. Of this number nineteen were collected at 

 Cape St. Lucas, of which fifteen were described as new species. 



No further collections were made in this region until 1859-'60, when 

 Mr. L. J. Xantus spent several months at Cape St. Lucas making a 

 collection of one hundred and twenty-two species^ nineteen^ of which 

 Dr. Gray (Proc. Amer. Acad. V.) described as new. Quite a number of 

 the others have since been separated from the species to which they 

 were referred and are described as new. VV. F. Fisher got a few things 

 at the Cape in 187G, and Mr. W, H. Townsend in 1889. Major Kich * is 

 the first person of whom we have any record who collected at La Paz. 

 Three other valuable collections have been made in the central part of 

 the peninsula, which ought to be mentioned here, on account of the 

 numerous new species they contain (of which Dr. Palmer has recollected 

 uiany)— namely : the collections of Dr. Palmer in 1887, at Los Angeles 

 Bay, and at Lagoon Head in 1889, and that of Mr. Brandegee in 1889, 

 from Magdalena Bay to San Quentin. Of the one hundred and fifty 

 species collected by Mr. Hinds, twenty-five were recollected and ten of 

 the fifteen new species collected by him at Cape St. Lucas; forty-two 

 of the one hundred and twenty-two species of Xantus were recollected, 

 twelve of which were of the new ones of this collection ; sixty-three of the 

 species collected by Dr. Palmer at Guaymasand Los Angeles Bay were 

 recollected, eight being of the new species described by Mr. Watson 

 from that collection ; seventy-six of the species were collected by Mr. 

 Brandegee, six being his new species. Of the species collected fifty- 

 six extend into the United States, mostly into the desert region of 

 southern California and Arizona j seventy-six have been collected in 

 Mexico (mostly from the western part); ten extend into Central 

 America and eight are in South America. 



' One was described by Dr. Enf^lemanu. -'Collected Lycium Richii Gray. 



