VI PREFACE 



pared specimens. Random notes and mere fragments of plants 

 are of but little scientific value. Directions for preparing her- 

 barium specimens and the data which should accompany them 

 will be gladly supplied on request. 



While encouragement should be given to the gathering of 

 flowers in moderation for purposes of study or for the more 

 convenient enjoyment of their beauty, it is hoped that all plant 

 lovers will discourage at every opportunity the plucking of large 

 quantities. The wasteful and thoughtless destruction of our 

 native vegetation is deplorable. It is nothing short of vandalism 

 that uproots entire plants or strips bushes of their beautiful 

 Howers, which are cast aside when the ardor cools or are carried 

 indoors where their beauty soon fades. Those who. know the 

 plants love them, and like them best in their natural surround- 

 ings. Flowers are most attractive in their native haunts and 

 visitors to our mountains enjoy them from the trails. If the 

 depredations continue it will soon be necessary for the authorities 

 to enact regulations against the plucking of all flowers as they 

 now prohibit the gathering of snow-plants. 



The preparation of this Flora has been greatly facilitated by 

 the kind assistance of many friends. Professor Willis Linn 

 Jepson, of the University of California, placed at our disposal 

 his collections made on excursions through the Park in 1909 and 

 191 1. Professor Le Roy Abrams, of Leland Stanford Junior 

 University, has likewise permitted the use of a collection made 

 in the Yosemite in 191 1. Among the members of the Sierra Club 

 who have assisted in a similar manner may be mentioned Miss 

 Helen D. Geis, Miss Lydia Atterbury, Miss Katherine D. Jones, 

 and Mr. Fred M. Reed. Miss Harriet Walker and Miss Rhoda R. 

 Reed have supplied specimens and have assisted in other ways. 

 A portion of the information concerning Indian uses of plants 

 was gleaned from conversations with Dr. C. Hart Merriam. Pro- 

 fessor W. A. Setchell and Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Brandegee, of the 

 University of California, have contributed many valuable sugges- 

 tions and critical notes, and Mr. J. W. Flinn, of the same insti- 

 tution, has generously assisted the authors in various ways. To 

 all of these we zvish to extend our most sincere thanks. 



Free use has been made of lists of Yosemite plants by Mrs. 

 Katharine Brandegee and by Mr. J. W. Congdon, both of whom 

 published in the biological journal, "Zoe." The writings of John 

 Muir contain much botanical information. The forests, the 

 meadows, and the flowers of the Sierra Nevada are described 

 in a most delightful manner in his "Mountains of California" and 

 "Our National Parks." The fern lists of Mrs. J. G. Lemmon, 

 Miss Cosy Hutchings, and Mr. S. H. Burnham have been con- 



