SHOKT ARTICLES. 25 



very abundant around Tempe in the Salt Eiver Valley, 

 Arizona, and that it is there very troublesome in orchards 

 and gardens, materially injuring fruit-trees by " choking." 

 The seeds and pieces of rhizome are carried along canals and 

 irrigation-ditches, and are thus disseminated over a large 

 area. 



Johnson Grass (Andropogon Halepense (L) Brot.) hav- 

 ing been introduced for fodder, is spreading through the 

 Salt River Valley in the same way, much to the disgust of 

 orchardists. — J. Burtt Davy. 



Early Blossoming of Plants.— In spite of the lateness 

 of a dry season, succeeding an abnormally cold winter, a 

 botanical party of three persons succeeded in finding seventy- 

 six species of wild flowers in blossom on February 22, at 

 Leona Heights, Alameda Co., Calif. The following were 

 the most interesting: — Brodisea capitata, Dodecatheon Hen- 

 dersoni var. cruciata, Pedicularis densiflora, Viola pedun- 

 culata, Eschscholtzia crocea, Cynoglossum grande, Achillea 

 Millefolium, Delphinium nudicaule, Calandrinia Menziesii, 

 Saxifraga Californica, Athysauus pusillus, Pterostegia dry- 

 marioides, Claytonia spathulata, Tillaea minima, Berberis 

 pinnata, Sidalceamalvseflora, Rhamnus crocea, Phacelia divar- 

 icata and Wyethia helenioides. — J. Burtt Davy. 



The Botanical Name op the Ribbon Grass: — Prof. 

 Beal names this plant of our gardens as Phalaris arun- 

 dinacea var. picta, in his Grasses of North America ii, 184, 

 1896. This varietal name is antedated by Phalaris arun- 

 dinacea var. variegata, Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening 

 iii, 184, May 1886.— J. Burtt Davy. 



Medicago maculata Willd.:— This plant is more abun- 

 dant immediately around Fort Ross than in any one locality 

 in which I have as yet seen it. Is it not probable that it 

 owes its introduction to that spot, to the Russian colonists who 

 made their home along the coast between Point Arenas, 

 Tomales Bay and Petaluma, with headquarters at Fort Ross 



