360 A Trip through Southeastern Utah. 



divaricatus, and glandu/osus, several Astragali, Gitia pmigens, 

 Lygodesmia exigiia and Cnicus Neo-Mexkatms were among the 

 plants noticed on the rocky hills and cedar-covered mesas. Along 

 the river bottom the grass was high and the trees near the water 

 formed a low grove of box elders, willows and cottonwoods. 

 Calochortus Nutlallii was in bloom, and quite common. In general 

 the plants were the same as those usually found not far from water, 

 and as we approached the San Juan River the trees were replaced 

 by Sarcobatus vermicuhitus, Bigelovia graveolens, and Artemisia 

 tridentata, so tall as to hide us completely from each other. They 

 all make fine camp fires, but Sarcobatus is the best. We thought 

 that we might also have to try them for internal combustion, but 

 an Indian store on the San Juan River saved us from the attempt. 



Along the San Juan River the vegetation was not different from 

 the lowlands of Montezuma Creek; some chenopodiaceous plants 

 were seen, but too young for determination, though as Grayia 

 Brandegei was known to grow in that vicinity, all were closely ex- 

 amined and found to be young Atriplices, probably argentea and 

 Nuttallii. Thickets o( Forestiej^a Neo-Mexicana were here and there, 

 and Lycium pallidum occasionally replaced the usual desert shrubs. 

 The looked-for "Grayia was not found until the McElmo Creek was 

 reached, where many other interesting plants now appeared. Datura 

 nietcloides was rather startling. It is not supposed to grow so far 

 north, but here it was abundant in the dry bed of the creek and 

 occasionally along the sides. The seed pods are often found in the 

 ruins of the ancient people who once filled this land and guarded 

 every spring with towers of stone. The hackberry , Celtis occidentalism 

 was a new and uncommon shrub; but the other shrubs were those 

 found throughout the whole region. CEnothera Hartwegi\2X. lavan- 

 dul(zfolia, was noticeable occasionally, and a few more new Astragali 

 were found, as well as some other plants previously collected, such 

 as Biscutella and Calochortus Jlexuosus. In Montezuma Valley the 

 shrubs were in full bloom, and the hillsides were beautiful with 

 Peraphyllum ramosissimum, Fendlera rupicola and Amelanchier al- 

 nifolia. A single plant of the Grand Junction Chcenactis scaposa 

 was collected, which extends its range two or three hundred miles, 

 the extent of country through which we had ridden during our ten 

 days' trip. 



The region traversed belongs mainly to what Dr. C. Hart Merriam 



