THE SOUTH TEMPERATE ZONE 361 



as a good many bulbous plants and short-lived annual-, arc also 

 characteristic of the region. 

 The country about Valparaiso, which in latitude and climate may 



be compared to southern California, has a flora which is decidedly 

 reminiscent of the latter region. 1 



There are many genera familiar to the Californian botanist, 

 e. g., Calandrinia, Baccharis, Gilia, Lupinus, Sisyrinchium, etc, 

 but there are also many which are exclusively South American. 

 Some of these are very showy, and are cultivated in our garden- 

 and greenhouses. Calceolaria, Schizanthus, nasturtiums and 

 Petunias, are familiar instances of these herbaceous plants, while 

 in the moister localities like ravines and the higher mountains, 

 are many trees and shrubs which are highly prized in cultivation. 



Some of the common weeds have come from the Mediterranean 

 regions, and are also common in California. Among the earliest 

 plants to respond to the first autumn rains are two common weeds, 

 the bur-clover (Medicago denticulata) and the " Alfilaria" (Erodium 

 cicutarium) both very common in California, where the seeds 

 sprout within two or three days after the first good rain and soon 

 cover the bare ground with a film of fresh green. 



Among the characteristic species of Valparaiso, a few may be 

 mentioned. 2 Near the shore on granite banks are species of Bahia, 

 Eupatorium, Leuceria, Senecio, Eryngium, Puja (Bromeliaceae), 

 Lobelia. Of the herbaceous plants Calceolaria, various Crucif- 

 erae, Sisyrinchium, Cerastium, and various grasses. 



On the mountain slopes and on the plateau back of Valparaiso 

 Reiche mentions, among others, the following as character- 

 istic. Low bushes and scrub included species of Baccharis, Muh- 

 lenbeckia, Azara, Flourensia, Haplopappus, and several others; 

 associated with these were many showy herbaceous plants, e. 

 Sisyrinchium, Scilla, Stenandrium, Thecophilaea, while occasion- 

 ally a Puja or Cereus was seen. A few climbing plants were also 

 noted, especially a yam (Dioscorea), and Aristolochia ChtlensU. 



Near Valparaiso are numerous mountain gorges in which there 

 is a dense growth of tall shrubs, including some showy forms like 

 Fuchsia, Eupatorium and Lobelia, as well as others less familiar. 

 Among the interesting herbaceous plant- is a wild potato, Soianum 



1 Reiche, K., PftanzenoerbreUung in Chile, Die Vegetation deb VIII, 196 



2 Reiche, loc. cit. 



