﻿PLANTS FENDLERIAN^. 3 



northeast of the town, from a small mountain lake or pond, runs through a narrow, chasm-like 

 valley, which widens about three miles from Santa Fe, and opens into the plain just where the 

 town is built. Below, the water of the creek is almost entirely absorbed by the numerous irri- 

 gating ditches, which are most essential for the fertilization of the else sterile fields. Most of the 

 characteristic plants of the upper part of the creek and of the mountain-sides are those of the 

 Rocky Mountains, or of allied forms ; some of which, such as Atragene Ochotensis or alpina, 

 Draba aurea, &c, have never before been met with in so low a latitude (under 36°). 



" Mr. Pendler made his principal collections from the beginning of April to the beginning of 

 August, 1847, in the region just described. At that time, unforeseen obstacles obliged him to 

 leave the field of his successful researches. He quitted Santa Fe, August 9th, followed the usual 

 road to Fort Leavenworth, which separates from the ' Bent's Fort road ' at the Mora River, and 

 unites with it again at the 'Crossing of the Arkansas.' The first part of the route from Santa 

 Fe to Vegas leads through a mountainous, wooded country, of much botanical interest, crossing 

 the water-courses of the Pecos, Ojo de Bernal, and Gallinas. From Vegas the road leads north- 

 eastwardly through an open prairie country, occasionally varied with higher hills, as far as the 

 Round Mound (6,655 feet high, according to Dr. Wislizenus). The principal water-courses on 

 this part of tlie route, all of which furnished different remarkable species, were the Mora, Ocate, 

 Colorado (the head of the Canadian), and Rock Creek, all of which empty into the Canadian. 

 Rabbit's Ear Creek and McNees Creek (the head-waters of the north fork of the Canadian) are east 

 of the mountains altogether. From thence the Cimarron was reached, where the Cold Spring, 

 Upper, Middle, and Lower Spring, and Sand Creek are interesting localities. On September 4th, 

 Mr. Fendler recrossed the Arkansas, and reached Fort Leavenworth on the 24th of that month.'" 



Mr. Fendler is about to revisit New Mexico, for a more thorough exploration of the 

 botany of that little known region, and especially of the higher mountains in the northern 

 and western part of the district. It is greatly to be wished that he should receive pat- 

 ronage, in the form of additional subscriptions for his collections, which may enable him 

 to reengage in this arduous undertaking under more favorable circumstances than before. 



Several families of the ensuing enumeration, such as the Cactaceae, Cuscutinea;, As- 

 clepiadeae, Euphorbiacese, &c, have been elaborated by Dr. Engelmann, of St. Louis, 

 upon whom a large share of the labor and care incident to this enterprise has fallen. His 

 name is affixed to the portions, as well as to various notes, thus contributed by him. 



The species of which there were not sufficient specimens collected for distribution 

 in the sets are designated by the sign (f) prefixed to the number. Vide No. f2 et seq. 



EANUNCULACEiE. 



'\. Clematis ligusticifolia, Nult. ! in Ton: 8f Gray, Fl. N. Am. 1. p. 9. 

 Flowering specimens of both sexes, gathered at Santa Fe, July, and on the Mora River, 

 August ; in bottom land, near the water. Likewise at Rio de los Animos, between 



