VOL. II.] Plants of Baja California. 149 
all cafions along the base of the mountains and its large yellow flowers 
are very handsome and conspicuous. 
BELOPERONE CALIFORNICA and &. Hians as well as /usticia 
Palmeri \ook very much alike in the field, and it requires some 
botanical skill to collect them intelligently. Their red blossoms 
are seen in most localities south of Magdalena Bay. 
HIMANTOSTEMMA PRINGLEI is fond of the sandy soil near the 
ocean at the Cape, and grows in great abundance amongst the 
dwarfed bushes. At this place it is associated with some plants that 
re known from no other locality and some that, although they have 
an extensive distribution, were seen in the Cape Region only close 
to the ocean. Huphorbia leucophylla, the handsomest of the pros- 
trate ‘“‘golondrinas,” grows in clean sand between the bushes and 
high tide line, and so does also the showy Aplopappus arenarius, 
‘Sczevola, Martynia and others. Phaulothamnus is one of the dwarfed 
bushes, that in the south seems to grow only on wind swept shores. 
JATROPHA CANESCENS is known by the name “lomboi.” Some- 
times the leaves are glabrous. It is one of the most common bushes 
-of the southern region and large specimens reach a height of ten or 
twelve feet. The flowers are either ochroleucous or dull red in color. 
Its presence is soon missed when one begins to ascend the high 
mountains; it is then replaced by another species, / cordata, ot 
‘similar habit, but having sticky leaves, that glisten in the sunlight as 
if varnished. 
Ficus PALMER! is found from San Ignacio to the Cape, especially 
among rocks and upon the face of cliffs. The trunk is very white, 
and on the perpendicular rocks flattens out at the base and assumes 
various fantastic forms, some of them even when the trees are small, 
becoming four feet wide while only two or three inches thick, and 
finally branching out in all directions seeking crevices for a foothold. 
In good soil, in the bottom of cafions or about springs, it is a fine, 
well-shaped, large tree and affords an agreeable shade from the hot 
‘sun. The small figs are edible, but I think no one eats many of 
them, and certainly would not eat any without a good appetite. The 
trunk never grows tall enough to be made into boats or canoes and 
all the “ dug outs’’ so common about Magdalena Bay, San Jose and 
La Paz are fashioned from the fig trees of Mazatlan on the main- 
land. When the small figs are ripe the tree is full of animal life ; 
- numerous insects are buzzing around, attracted by the sweet exuda- 
