STERCULIACEAE 



Fremontia Flannelbush 



Fremontia californica Torr. {Fremontodendron californicum Gov.) 

 {Fremontia mexicana (Dav.) Macb.) 



HABIT. A shrub or small tree 20-30 feet high and 12-14 

 inches in diameter; crown open with stout branches. 



LEAVES. Alternate, simple; broadly ovate; XYi inches in 

 diameter; usually 3-lobed; thick; stellate rusty-pubescent be- 

 low; persistent 2 years; petioles stout, Vi-Vz inch long. 



FLOWERS. Regular; perfect; solitary; calyx, deeply 5-lobed, 

 yellow, 1 inch long; corolla absent; stamens 5; ovary 5-celled. 



FRUIT. Ovoid, acuminate, 4-valved capsule; 1 inch long; 

 densely woolly dehiscent; inner surface villose-pubescent. Seed: 

 oval, small (about M% inch long), very dark brown, 



TWIGS. Stout; round; stellate rusty-pubescent at first, be- 

 coming glabrous and light red-brown. Winter buds: naked. 



BARK. Thin; furrowed; dark red-brown. 



WOOD. Unimportant; heavy; hard; ring-porous; red-brown. 



SILVIGAL GHARAGTERS. Intolerant; on very poor, dry 

 foothills; forming dense thickets; a monotypic genus. 



* * * 

 KOEBERLINACEAE 



Allthorn. Corono de Cristo 

 Koeberlinia spinosa Zucc. 



HABIT. A shrub or small bushy tree rarely 20-25 feet high; 

 often appearing to bear neither leaf, flower, nor fruit. 



LEAVES. Alternate; simple; early deciduous, the tree usually 

 leafless; scalelike and minute (not over H inch long). 



FLOWERS. Regular; perfect; small; in short umbel-like 

 racemes; petals 4, green-white, much longer than sepals. 



FRUIT. Small (^/fe-H inch), subglobose, 2-celled, black 

 berry; flesh thin and succulent; cells 1-2-seeded. Seed: coiled 

 and shell-shaped; seed coat brittle and wrinkled. 



TWIGS. Stout; glabrous; terminating in sharp, rigid spine; 

 pale green in color. Winter buds: minute and inconspicuous. 



BARK. Thin, red-brown, scaly. 



WOOD, Unimportant; very hard; heavy (sp. gr. 1.12); fine- 

 textured; diffuse-porous; heartwood dark brown. 



SILVIGAL GHARAGTERS. Intolerant; on dry, gravelly 

 plains and foothills; a monotypic botanical curiosity. 



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