THE PLANT WORLD 125 



lowest part of the iutervening basins, forms shallow ponds often of con- 

 siderable area, but seldom more than a few inches deep. The water 

 speedily evaporates or is absorbed, and its bed remains a level, either 

 of hard clay, or looser material, according to the nature of the soil. 



At the lake the right road was regained, and crossing a low divide 

 the cotton woods at Rabbit Springs were in sight, a cheerful fleck of 

 green in the burnt landscape. This little oasis is a favorite place with 

 me, so many good plants are to be had about it. It is the type-station 

 for a number, some of which have not as yet been found elsewhere. An 

 old Scotchman has lived here for man 3^ years, and stepped out from his 

 weatherbeaten cabin to welcome us to his domain. I think he must 

 pass much of his abundant leisure shaving, for he never fails to appear 

 fresh from the razor. 



Here is a long knoll from which spring some slender trickles of 

 water, sustaining a few acres of salt grass {Distichlis), almost thick 

 enough to conceal the efflorescing alkali about their roots. Among the 

 grass grows three species of Cleomella, a thistle {Cnicus Mohavensis), a 

 Calochortus {C. striatus), a Sidalcea {S. nitrophila) and several rare 

 species of Atriplex. The surrounding mesas and mountains, barren as 

 ihej appear, here never failed to reward exploration. 



The next morning the driers must be changed, that irksome but 

 necessary task which consumes so much valuable time on a collecting 

 trip. The rest of the morning was spent in a walk to a neighboring 

 mountain spur, where several good plants were secured, the most inter- 

 esting being a fine new Nemacladus, for which I have proposed the name 

 N. adenophorufi, in reference to the curious and beautiful glands of the 

 capsule. 



We got a late start after dinner ; the nature of the road restricted us 

 to a walk, and several stops had to be made for roadside plants, so that 

 it was nearly dark by the time we had accomplished the nine long miles 

 to Carbenberry Springs. These are situated at an altitude of 4000 feet 

 in the mouth of a caiion entering the San Bernardine Mountains. 



An early scramble over the rough hills, at the peep of day the next 

 morning, was disappointing. The dried remains of early annuals were 

 abundant, but of these onlj' the lovely Fhacelia campanulata still ling- 

 ered in blossom, and there were some unusually fine clumps of Mirabilis 

 cispera. But about the springs, its type locality, the desert rose {R. 

 Mohavensis) was in fine condition, growing in company with one of 

 Xuttall's -wallows {Salix exigua). 



This early ramble gave a brisk appetite for breakfast, which des- 

 patched, the ascent of the mountain was begun. There is a good road, 

 which follows for a long way the rocky channel of a winter torrent, now 

 entirely dry. Frequent were the stops, as new plants appeared on the 



