20 BOTANY. 



bracteisve minimis oppositis et alternis, sepius 2-3-fidis, segmentis subulatis ; involucris ad nodis 

 solitariis sessilibns." — Gray. 



" 0. Thurberi." On sandy hill-sides^ near San Filipe, where it was first discovered by Mr. 

 Thurber, in 1852, May. A remarkable genus of the tribe Eriogoneae, the characters of which 

 were drawn by Dr. Gray, and have only been slightly enlarged and modified, as the specimens 

 collected by Dr. Antisell are more complete than those of Mr. Thurber. The plant is from 3-4 

 inches high, with a small cluster of spatulate leaves at the base. There are no proper rameal 

 leaves, but only bracts, which are often 2-3-cleft, with mucronate segments. The upper 

 portion of the involucre is triquetrous ; the 3 processes or horns near the base are widely 

 spreading, and usually a little curved. Sometimes there is a fourth smaller horn. I have 

 found most of the involucres to contain two flowers. — (Tab. VIII.) 



Oreodaphne Californica, Nees, Syst. Laur. p. 463. Umbellularia Californica and Drymo- 

 phyllum pauciflorum, Nutt. Sylv. 1, p. 85 and 87. Santa Inez ; February. This is the cele- 

 brated California laurel or bay tree. 



Anemopsis Californica, Nutt. in Tayl. Ann. Nat. Hist. 1, p. 136 ; Hook, and Am. Bot. 

 Beechey, p. 390, t. 92. Los Angeles ; April. 



SiMMONDSiA Californica, Nutt. in Hook. Lond. Jour. Bot.; Torr. in Mex. Bound. Bep. cum tab. 

 (ined.) Banks of the San Pedro of the Gila; July. 



JuGLANS RUPESTRis, Engelm. var.f major, Torr. in Sitgreave's Bep. p. 171, t. 16. Puerto del 

 Dado ; July. In fruit. 



Platanus Mexicana, Moricand, Bl. Bar. d'Amer. t. 26. P. racemosus, Nutt. in Auduh. Birds 

 of Amer. t. 362, and Sylv. l,p. 47, t. 15. P. Californicus, Benth. Bot. Sulph. p. 54. Near 

 San Luis Rey, and San Diego ; April. 



QuERcus agrifolia, Nee; Hook. Ic. t. 377, Nutt. Sylv. \, p. 5, t. 2. Salinas valley. One of 

 the most common oaks of California. It varies much in the size and form of its leaves and 

 acorns, but is, in general, easily recognized. 



Urtica. urens, Linn.; Pursli, Fl. l,p. 113. EioPajaro; November. Introduced from Europe, 

 probably by the Spaniards. 



Ephedra antisiphilitica, Berland.; Endl. Syn. Conif.p. 263. Common on the Gila. 

 Agave Americana, lAnn. ; Kunth Enum. 5, p. 821. Vallecitas, California ; May. The Maguay 

 of the Mexicans, affording the beverage called by them pulque. It has probably been brought 

 from Central America. 



ZiGADENUS DouGLASii, Torr. in Bot. Whipple's Rep. 7i. chloranthus, Hook, and Am. Bot. 

 Beechey p. 402.^ excl. syn. Near Santa Barbara; February. Near Amianthium Nuttallii of 

 Gray, who now refers that plant to that section of the genus Zigadenus, which has the gland, 

 of the jierianth obscure. (See Manual of Botany, ed. 2, p. 476.) 



Calochortus venustus, Benth. in Hort. Trans. Lond. {n. ser.) 1. p. 412, t. lb, Jig. 3 ; Lindl. 

 Bot. Beg. t. 1669. San Isabel to Los Angeles ; March. A beautiful species, with large white 

 flowers which are singularly marked with yellow and blood-red at the base. 



Calochortus splendens, Benth. I. c. t. 15,/. 1. Lindl. Bot. Beg. t. 1676. Los Angeles ; March. 

 Also a very beautiful plant ; the large flowers being pale lilac, with j^urple spots at the base. 



SisYKiNcmuM Bermudiana, Linn.; var. anceps, Torr.Fl. New York, 2 p. 291. Los Angeles; 

 March. 



Dioiielostemma congesta, Kunth, Enum. 4, p. 47. Brodifea congesta, J. E. Smith. Los 

 Angeles to Santa Barbara ; March. 



