BORAGE FAMILY 



323 



Field note. — Of our species of Amsinckia, Amsinekia intermedia is the most mdely distributed 

 within the borders of California and the one most numerous in individuals. It is a native species 

 which has adapted itself to the changes brought about by modern agriculture and as a weed it 

 now flourishes abundantly in hay fields and grain fields, especially on rich valley floors. During 

 the summer harvests its stinging herbage produces a burning sensation on the skin of field laborers, 

 whence the widely used folk name, Fireweed. It is also called Zaccato Gorda and Buckthorn Weed. 

 In California, it is, in many sections, valued as a dry fodder, but in eastern Washington, E. C. 

 McCulloch has demonstrated that the nutlets in sufficient quantity are poisonous to ranch live- 

 stock (Sci. 91:95). This species would thus be the only member of Boraginaceae known to be 

 toxic to animals. 



Locs. — Coast Ranges: Yreka, Butler 1269; Hiouchi bridge. Smith River, Tracy 10,031; 

 Trinity River, near mouth of Willow Creek, Humboldt Co., Tracy 10,097; Three Forks of Mad 

 River, Trinity Co., Tracy 10,193 ; Walker Valley, cent. 

 Mendocino Co., Jepson 1825a; Lakeport, Tracy 5517; 

 Conn Valley, Napa Range, Jepson 6253 ; Las Trampas 

 Ridge, Contra Costa Co., Jepson 21,083; Berkeley 

 Hills, Earle Mulliken 65; Mt. Davidson, San Fran- 

 cisco, Jepson 10,356 ; Corral Hollow, w. San Joaquin 

 Co., Jepson 9594; Stanford, E. F. Copeland 8419; 

 Emmet, e. San Benito Co., Jepson 18,110 ; Bitterwater 

 Valley, San Benito Co., Jepson 16,141 ; Cholame Val- 

 ley, e. San Luis Obispo Co., Jepson 19,258. Great 

 Valley: Red Bluff, BlanTcinship ; Corning, w. Tehama 

 Co., Blanlcinship ; Orland, Glenn Co., Heller 11,355; 

 Yuba City, Jepson 21,083; College City, Colusa Co., 

 Alice King; Sacramento, ShocMey 396; Vacavillo, 

 Jepson 100c; Stockton (5 mi. se.), Jepson 18,017; 

 Vernalis, sw. San Joaquin Co., Boover 233 ; Patterson, 

 w. Stanislaus Co., Jepson 11,657; Chowchilla (8 mi. 

 w.), Madera Co., Hoover 1688; Arroyo Hondo Wash, 

 2 mi. n. of Cantua Creek, w. Fresno Co., Jepson 

 10,954; Kerman, Fresno Co., Hoover 1770: Tipton, 

 Tulare Co., Jepson 11,593; Shafter, Kern Co., Allison 

 Krames; McKittrick, Keru Co., Jepson 16,235. Sierra 

 Nevada foothills: Eldorado Co. foothills. Hall 11,256; 

 lone, Amador Co., JiT. Brandegee; Avery sta., Cala- 

 veras Co., A. L. Grant; Owens Creek, Mariposa Co., 

 Jepson 12,756; Weldon, Kern Co., Voegelin 75. Te- 

 hachapi Mts. : Caliente, Heller 7618. Santa Barbara 

 Isls.: Hungry Man's Gulch, Santa Cruz Isl., Fosbcrg 

 7520; Avalon, Santa Catalina Isl., Fosherg 10,643; 

 San Clemente Isl., A'ell Murbarger 11. Cismontane 

 S. Cal.: Elwood, Santa Barbara coast, Eastwood 8; 

 Arroyo Seco, San Gabriel Mts., Feirson 333 ; San 

 Bernardino, Parish; betw. Del Rey and El Segundo, 

 Los Angeles coast, Fosherg 10,621 ; Anaheim plain. 

 Orange Co., Alice King; Corona, Jepson 19,123; 



Temescal Canon, sw. Riverside Co., Jepson 19,127; Mesa Grande, San Diego Co., E. Ferguson 90; 

 San Pasqual Valley, San Diego Co., Jepson 19,167; San Diego, Jepson 6666. Mohave Desert: 

 Paradise Mts. {iV2 mi. ne.), Jepson 20,335. Intramontane S. Cal. (Colorado Desert slope): 

 Whitewater, Riverside Co., Parish 469; Ebbens Creek wash, foot of Santa Rosa Mts., Clary 2076; 

 Coyote Canon, sw. Santa Rosa Mts., Hall 2842. 



Var. califomica Hoover comb. n. Nutlets tuberculate dorsally (the tubercles smooth and 

 rounded, not scabrous or muricate) ; corolla usually showy, 5 to 8 lines long; style unusually long, 

 exserted from corolla-tube.— Southeast plain of the San Joaquin Valley floor in Kern Co. and its 

 bordering foothills: Edison, Hoover 1823; Bena, Jepson 11,616; Caliente, K. Brandegee. 



Var. attenuate (Eastw.) Jepson & Hoover comb. n. Leaves narrow (lanceolate or linear), 

 long-attenuate at apex. — Southern California coast: Santa Catalina Isl., Trask; La Jolla 

 Clements 103; San Diego, Spencer 170. ' 



Var. eastwoodae (Mcbr.) Jepson & Hoover comb. n. Corolla deep orange, 7 to 9 lines long, 

 2 to 3 times as long as the calyx. — Great Valley and its bordering low hUls ; cismontane Southern 

 California. 



Locs. — Great Valley and bordering hills: Anderson, Shasta Co., ace. R. F. Hoover; Chico 

 Hoover 3247; Oroville, Heller 10,683; Vernalis, sw. San Joaquin Co., Hoover 232; Puerto' Canon' 

 w. Stanislaus Co., Hoover 2851; La Grange, Stanislaus Co., Hoover 1707; Madera, Buckminster'- 

 Little Dry Creek near Sparkville, Fresno Co., Jepson 15,136 ; Strathmoro, Tulare Co. Hoover 736 • 

 North Tule River, Tulare Co., Purpus 1704; Rowen, Tehachapi Mts., Jepson 6713. Cismontane 

 S. Cal. : Upland, San Bernardino Valley, Johnston 88 ; Fallbrook, San Diego Co., ace. Suksd'orf. 



Fig. 415. Amsinckia intermedia F. 

 & M. a, leaf, X %; 6, fl. brancUet, 

 X 1/2 ; c, long. sect, of fl., X 2 ; d, nutlet, 

 dorsal view, X 5 ; e, nutlet, ventral view, 

 X 5. 



