186 EEYTHEA. 



of cetitral Califovuia are found. The elevated plains and 

 liill-sides are for the most part covered with a luxuriant 

 grov.th of grasses and clovers, especially Tri folium fiicaUim 

 which is locally known as "bear-clover" and is said to fur- 

 nish good pasturage. Otherwise the flora has many features 

 in common with that of the Coast-range foot-hills. 



On tlie top and eastern slope of South Fork Mountain a 

 heavy coniferous growth is again encountered, composed for 

 the most part of the Shasiensis variety of Abies magnijica, 

 Piruis Lamhertiana and P. Ponderosa, Pseudotsuga taxi- 

 folia and occasional specimens of Libocedrus deciirrens. 

 Further indications of a sub-alpine element in the flora of 

 this ridge, which is said to be 6000 feet in height and at the 

 time of our visit was still covered with snow-drifts, might be 

 deduced from the appearance of Verairum Calif or niciim, 

 Capuorchis unijlora, Viola Sheltonii and Hydrophyllnm 

 occidcnfale var. JValsoini. Soon after crossing this divide 

 one begins to perceive evidences of a decrease in the humid- 

 ity of the atmosphere, which becomes more and more pro- 

 nounced as one approaches the great interior valley of the 

 Sacramento Eiver. The extremely broken character of the 

 country gives rise to a much diversiiied flora and renders it 

 difficult to institute any genei-al characterizations. Of ar- 

 boreal growths the yellow pine and Douglas spruce are 

 prominent features, though seldom attaining the dimensions 

 of the Sierra forms. A few specimens of the typical Pi)ms 

 Jeffreyi were observed, while P. Sabiniana and P. aUenuata 

 are extremely common. Some of the most noticeable shrubs 

 are Cornus JVuttallii, Siliquasiriivi occidentale, Rhus tri- 

 lohaia, a Philadelphns too immature to determine and Prunus 

 subcordaia which here, as in the Sierras, is so spriously 

 affected with Exoasciis pruni^ that it seldom perfects its 

 fruit. 



Though occasional lists of the plants observed were made, 

 these are too incomplete to be of much significance^ and 

 hence I shall confine myself to a few notes on some of the 

 more striking ones. 



