37 



incomplete public notice of it. The Academy are indebted to Dr. 

 J. A. Veatch, for the former and present specimens, brought from 

 the vicinity of Clear Lake. 



R. ilieifolius, (Kellogg,) Holly-leaf Buckthorn. — Stem six to 

 ten inches in diameter, twelve to fifteen feet in height, branches often 

 four inches in diameter, spreading, subdivisions much branched, un- 

 armed, smaller branches short, villous, and madder purple. 



Leaves oval, cordate and sub-cordate, sub-acute, often emarginate, 

 short, spinosely-dentate, closely pinnate-veined, smooth and shining 

 above and below, dark green above, (a yellowish shade lighter below) 

 evergreen, thick, very rigid and coriaceous lamina ; recurved, undu- 

 late, finely reticulate, on short villous petioles, (about one-eighth of an 

 inch long) alternate ; stipules subulate, caducous. 



The specimens of wood in our possession were obtained by Dr. 

 Veatch, from an old dry tree ; the color is dark, almost black, similar 

 to rosewood ; exceedingly compact, with a clear metallic ring when 

 struck, and almost metallic w^eight. 



For its general appearance, fine finishing qualities, and solid un- 

 brokened texture, there is abundant reason to believe that the engraver, 

 carver, carpenter, cabinet-maker and turner, will find in it a very 

 valuable acquisition to the useful native timber trees of California. 



Some experiments already made, induce us to beheve that it warps 

 less than rosewood. If the bark were removed, and the tree left 

 standing to season before cutting, and the juices thoroughly abstracted, 

 might we not anticipate its applicability to printing purposes ? 



Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new species of Jimiperus, 

 brought from Cerros Island, by Dr. J. A. Veatch. 



J. cerrosianus, (Kellogg,) Cerros Island Juniper. — Leaves 

 minute, ovate acute, appressed, imbricate in six rows ; an oWong 

 gland on the back ; on the younger branches of recent growth, oblong 

 subulate ; on the older, intermediate ; diamond shaped apex, short 

 subulate incurved. 



Berries somewhat oblong-ovoid, of six to eight oblong sub-peltate 

 mucronate scales, cohering into, a three-seeded bcrrv ; the flattish 

 mucro eccentric on the back of the upper one-third, erect, or some- 

 what recurved ; older mature fruit sub-three-angled, more or less tu- 

 bercled, with oblong ridges or longitudinal ribs ; clothed with a dense 

 blue bloom. 



Fruit very abundant, large, (about one-half of an inch long, and a 

 little less in transverse diameter) ; ovules numerous in green state. 



Male aments very minute, light cinnamon color. 



A tree of slow growth, one to two feet in diameter, ten to fifteen 

 feet in height ; branches horizontal and spreading, dense. 



