1885,] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 483 



West of the Santiago Eange, between it and San Jacinto Peak, is a 

 vast plain, timberless and waterless, but mostly covered with good grass. 

 If water could be struck in places by boring, or collected in tanks, it 

 would afford miles of excellent pasturage. 



The gramineous vegetation of the prairie consists chiefly of the fol- 

 lowing species, arranged as far as possible in the order of their worth : 



Buchloe dactyloides (BuflFalo-Grass), east of the Pecos. 



Bouteloua oUgostachya, Mrsuta, eriopoda, racemosa (Gramas). 



Pappophornm Wrightii. 



Triodia acuminata und pulchella. 



Hilaria mutica (north) and cenchr aides (south). 



Aristid a purpurea, dispersa, Scliiediana^ stricta. 



Muhlenhergia Texana and arenicola. 



Andropogon saccJiaroides and scoparius. 



Lycurus phleoides. 



Panicum ohtusum, leucophoeum, Hallii. 



SeMria caudata. 



The prairie, although apparently smooth, is seldom entirely free from 

 shrubby plants, of which the most common are : A slender, straggling 

 form of Clematis JDrummondii ; a small, branching variety of Acacia jil- 

 icina {A. Hartwegi of Beutham); dwarf Mezquit, Microrhamnus ericoidesy 

 Zizyphus obtusifolitis, Ephedra trifurca and antisyphilitica, Larrea Mexi- 

 cana. Yucca angustifolia, Nolina Texana, Opuntia arhorescens. 



During the summer the prairie is decked with the blossoms of the 

 following herbs : 



Talinum aurantiacum. 



Calophanes linearis. 



Idnum Berlandieri and rigidum,. 



Callirrhoe pedata and digitata. 



Sida physocalyx and diffusa. 



Sphceralcea hastulata. 



Ifyctaginia capitata. 



Ahronia turhinata. 



Oxybaphus angustifolius and aggregatus. 



Cooperia Brummondii. 



Phaseolus retusus. 



Bhynchosia Texana. 



Petalostemon candidus and muUiflorus, 



Verbena bipinnatifida. 



Chamcesaracha Coronopus. 



Solanum elceagnifolium. 



Tradescantia Virginica. 



Commelina Virginica and diantJiif olio. 



Salvia lanceolata. 



