104 
Seemann’s second journey in Sinaloa was more extended. On 
Noy. 23, 1849, he left Mazatlan for San Sebastian, where he 
remained one day, and then proceeded towards Durango, 
reaching the village of Copala on Nov. 26 and Santa Lucia on 
Nov. 27. The latter village was one of the most charmingly 
situated places he had seen in Mexico, and he appears to have 
made extensive collections in the neighbourhood. “ Situated 
about 4,000 feet above the sea, enjoying throughout the year 
a temperate climate, it lies in a romantic valley, encircled by 
wooded mountains, which admit a view of the Pacific Ocean. 
The houses of the Indians, scattered over an undulated surface, 
are surrounded by a vegetation in which the graceful forms of 
the tropics are harmoniously blended with those of the temperate 
zone. Mimosae stand in company with oaks and firs [pines], 
hardy Umbelliferae and Compositae with Cupheas, Lobelias and 
Lophospermums; nearly every hedge is overgrown by a splendid 
Ipomoea, the azure blossoms of which are from four to five inches 
across, and set so close together that hardly a leaf is to be seen, 
and the whole plant resembles a blue sheet, whence it derives 
its vernacular name, ‘ Manto de la Virgen’ (Cloak of the Holy 
Virgin).” 
Leaving Santa Lucia he passed Ocotes, a place deriving its 
name from the ‘ Ocote,’ a pine from which pitch is made. e 
boundary of the State of Durango is about four miles beyond 
Ocotes, and the remainder of Seemann’s journey to the city of 
Durango does not concern us. The return journey from Durango 
to Mazatlan (Feb. 13-22, 1850) was made under difficulties, and 
it is improbable that Seemann was able to do any collecting. 
“*'The road was in a terrible state, for the wild Comanche Indians 
having come near and killed several of the rancheros, most of 
the places were deserted, the people having fled.” 
In more recent years Sinaloa has been visited by various 
botanists including Palmer, Rose, and Brandegee. The last- 
mentioned published a list of the more interesting plants collected 
by him containing “in addition to descriptions of new species, 
pom tien — of those plants whose distribution seems worthy 
to) 
The present enumeration of Sinaloa plants has been based 
on (1) a collection of dried plants received from Sefior J. Gonzalez 
Ortega; (2) the records in Seemann’s Botany of the ‘ Herald,’ 
and Hemsley’s Biologia Centrali-Americana, Botany; (3) Brande- 
gee’s list, mentioned above; (4) numerous scattered records 
published i in the Contributions from the United States National 
Herbarium, the Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts 
and Sciences, and elsewhere. Many species have also been 
included on the strength of the geographical distribution indicated 
in Standley’s “ Trees and Shrubs of Mexico.’’+ 
* Zoe, v. 196 (1905); et Le. 241 (190 6). 
tT Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb., xxiii, part 1 (1920) ; part 2 (1922). 
