774 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



oped loaves are in striking contrast with the dust-begrimed stems 

 and foliage over which the treacherous and baneful vines climb. The 

 "poison-oak" differs from the poison-sumac of X\\q Y.^'^X, {Rhus toxi- 

 codendron, L.), in having sharply-tootlu'd leaflets, nearly sessile 

 panicles, and close clusters of fruit. The writer has been poisoned by 

 both species, and can testify that the sensations of burning and itching 

 of skin of face and lingers are practically the same fur both kinds. 

 The leaves of a common composite called " gum-plant " ( Grindelia) 

 are bruised and rubbed over any exjjosed part of the skin as a pre- 

 ventive. 



The most attractive flowers, both as to appearance and fragrance, 

 were those of the phlox-like Gilia Calif ornica, Benth. This shrub is 

 tvro or three feet high, and grows upon the dry hill-sides. The leaves 

 are thickly set and villous, whih; the stems are terminated by clusters 

 of rose- or lilac-colored flowers an inch or more across the limb. The 

 fragrance is indescribably rich, when not too profuse. The peculiar 

 foliage and the extreme delicacy of tint and fragrance of the flowers 

 place this "mountain pink" at the head of the list of flowering plants 

 during a M'inter drought. Not far below the Gilia in attractiveness is 

 a member of the large genus Hosackia {II. glabra, Torr.), of the order 

 Leguniinosce. This species has slender, woody stems several feet in 

 length, which bend anct become decumbent or rest upon surrounding 

 shrubs. In color the flowers are a mixture of yellow and brown, 

 closely set upon the curved, drooping stems, and are not obscured by 

 the small leaves. The sprays might well serve for making delicate 

 wreaths. This is one of the most common winter-bloomers of the 

 pea family. In the same localities the large vetch Lathyriis ves- 

 tltus, Nutt., with its rose or violet flowers, was frequently found making 

 an entangled mass of wiry stems several feet in length. It seemed 

 most at home along the rocky sides of canons, where it could climb to 

 its heart's content. 



The wild blackberry {Rtdnis iirshius, C. and 8.) was abundantly 

 in bloom from the lateral branches upon the long canes. There is an 

 absence of any compactness of growth ; the main stems trail along for 

 twenty feet, perhaps. The almost impenetrable entanglement made 

 by such a growth, when climbing over and among shi'ubs, may be more 

 easily experienced than imagined. Two of the shrubby composites 

 were found in bloom — namely, liaccharis pibdarls, D. C, and H. 

 viniinea, 1). C. Both species grow much higher than a man's head, 

 and sometimes the stems attain two or three inches in diameter. 

 Both art! badly infested with Colcosporiuni Ixiccharidis, C. and II. — 

 a rust which attacks all ])arts of the plant and causes large swellings 

 in the older stems. This is one of the best illustrations of the peren- 

 nial nature of some of the parasitic fungi when the host is under favor- 

 able conditions for indefinite continuous growth. 



The lUbes spcciosimi, I*ursh., is an attractive, fuchsia-like goose- 



