FLOIIA OF THE SANTA BARBARA ISLANDS. 223 



Malacothrix Coidteri, which is, however, not a Coast Range 

 plant. This plant, on the eastern end of Santa Craz Isl- 

 and, is found in its mainland form, and growing with it 

 plants varying toward M. insidavis, which, in exposed 

 situations, might easily become M. squalida or indecora. 



A species which can flourish in the Sierra Nevada moun- 

 tains, withstaiul the extreme summer heat of the cen- 

 tral valleys, and also grow amongst the fogs of the Coast 

 Range and adjacent islands, must reflect somewhat in its 

 characters the very diverse conditions under which it ex- 

 ists. The extreme differences of climate that are found 

 within a few miles distance make the flora of California a 

 flora of variable species, a flora that should be studied in 

 the field or with abundant material from many localities. 

 The division of the year into wet and dry seasons in- 

 duces a form of variation which it may be not out 

 of place to notice, especially as it has some connection with 

 insular plants; it is that many perennial species undoubt- 

 edly also persist as annuals if they are able to mature their 

 seed before the summer's drought kills them. This pecu- 

 liarity is alluded to by Dr. Engelman in the Botanical Ga- 

 zette, Yol. YI, 235, with reference to Eschscliolizia. 



The great extent of coast line of the islands, Santa Cruz 

 having over fifty miles and Santa Rosa more than forty, 

 compared with their area, affords a large habitat for a 

 maritime flora, and plants most abundant in the vicinity 

 of salt water, form a large proportion of the insular flora. 

 This is more noticeable on the sloping hills of Santa Rosa 

 than on the bold and rocky shores of Santa Cruz, and ac- 

 counts for the seemingly great preponderance of such sea- 

 shore plants as EschschoUzia, Cotyledon, Abronia, 3Ieseiuhri- 

 anthemum, and others. 



The insular floras should be compared with those of the 

 neighboring shore and coast range rather than with that of 



2d Seb. Vol.1. (le) Issued October 11, 1888. 



