356 A Trip through Southeastern Utah. _ [zoE 
conspicuous. On each side of a slight depression, which was a rise 
compared with our starting place, the bands of strata were tipped 
up slanting towards each other, and plainly matching. It was from 
this break in the strata that the cafion began, which at first imper- 
. ceptibly, but later more decidedly, became deeper and deeper, until 
_ when we reached the Grand River, the rocky walls seemed to rise 
perpendicular for a thousand feet at least, and here and there were 
carved into wonderful and weird outlines by the action of the air 
and water. The vegetation constantly changed, for we were not 
only descending, but also passing from the flora of the plain to that 
of the cafion. 
It was a day full of delight; new plants were constantly seen, and 
some that may be new species were collected. Lupinus pusillus was 
so abundant over large areas that the earth seemed to mirror the 
sky, while occasionally the rarer Lupinus Shockleyi was also seen; 
Cleomella plocasperma, or a nearly allied form, was found growing in 
-a small tract with a most peculiar and new Phacelia. Eriogonum 
inflatum was common over miles of country, and it was noticeable 
that the amount of swelling at the nodes varied from absolutely none 
to more than an inch in diameter. The plants destitute of inflation 
were small and weak, compared with the others, and the question 
arose as to the cause of the difference. The evolutionist would 
regard the variation as an illustration and living proof of the forma- 
tion of a new species, and would look upon the plants without infla- 
tion as the original from which the inflated forms arose. The infla- 
tion is a feature especially beneficial to a desert, slender-stemmed 
annual and undoubtedly takes the place of the involucral bracts that 
most Eriogonums possess. It furnishes the surface essential to the 
vital functions of the plant during the ripening of the fruit, since the 
leaves at the root, by which the plant was enabled to raise its stem 
and spread out its branches, become dried into dust long before the 
flowers are gone, and often before they are in bloom. It can easily 
be seen what an advantage the inflated plants have over tlie others 
in the struggle for existence, and they show their superiority in 
greater size and abundance. They even crowd out other plants and 
almost usurp the soil. New Astragali were continually seen, and 
were collected in both flower and fruit. Gulia Gunnisoni, Biscutella 
Wislizent, Coloptera Newberryi and Asclepias involucrata grew ona 
