136 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [Proc. 30 Ser. 



This was discovered by Mr. J. W. Congdon, at Grant's 

 Springs, Mariposa County, Calif., and collected April 9, 

 1898. It adds another to his namesakes in Mariposa 

 County, appropriately associating his name with the flora 

 which he has done so much to make known. 



4. Cercocarpus Traskiae, sp. nov. 



Plate XI, Figs. 7^-7^. 



Tree, 10 to 25 feet high; trunk 2 to 10 inches in diameter, 6 to 8 feet to 

 the lowest branches; bark rough, grayish brown externally, reddish on the 

 inside; upper branches covered with a thin, downy tomentum: leaves orbic- 

 ular to oval, 2-6 cm. long, 1-5 cm wide, with obtuse or acute apex, subcor- 

 date, truncate, or cuneate base; margin revolute from deeply dentate to 

 entire; upper surface dark green, glossy, glabrous, except the downy young 

 leaves; lower surface densely white-tomentose, veins large and conspicuous 

 on both sides; petiole stout, about 5 mm. long. Inflorescence androgynous, 

 the polygamous flowers numerous in axillary umbels; calyx white-tomentose, 

 with tube i cm. long and border 5-toothed, open campanulate, 5-8 mm. in 

 diameter, glabrous within; stamens numerous, anthers tomentose, with two 

 linear-oblong cells united only at the insertion of the slender filament; perfect 

 flowers with stigmas curved like shepherd's crooks, style exserted; akenes 

 I cm. long, linear-oblong, covered with upwardly appressed silky hairs, tipped 

 by the circinate, persistent style, about 5 cm. long, clothed with long, fine, 

 silky hairs spreading horizontally. 



This, the most beautiful of the Pacific Coast Ccrcocarpi, 

 was discovered by Mrs. Blanche Trask at the southern part 

 of the island in a volcanic region known as " Sake Verde." 

 It is a wild place, too rough for men on horses, with no 

 trails but those made by the goats. Even in winter the heat 

 is great. She writes as follows concerning the place and 

 the trees: "There are about forty or fifty trees in an 

 arroya so small that there is but room to squeeze through, 

 a southern exposure where Ruin and Earthquake have 

 passed and in whose footprints but few plants have dared 

 to rise." The sea dashes at the base of this arroya, the 

 walls of which rise to a height of from 100 to 500 feet. 

 The trees are all isolated, not at all forming thickets. 



That any one should have found a new tree on an island 

 that so many botanists have visited is surprising; but it 

 is due to the great enthusiasm, the wonderful power of 



