SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF EXPLORATIONS BY THE U. S. FISH COM- 

 MISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS. 



[Published by permiasion of Hon. Marshall McDonald, Coramiasioner of Fisheries.] 



No. XVI.— PLANTS COLLECTED IN 1889 AT SOCORRO AND CLARION 

 ISLANDS, PACIFIC OCEAN. 



BY 

 Dr. Geo. Vasey and J. N. Rose, 



Botanist and Asssistant Botanist, Department of Agriculture. 



AmoDg the various islands visited by the Albatross in her voyage 

 along our Pacific coast in the year 1889 were Socorro and Clarion. A 

 small and fragmentary collection was made from each of these islands. 

 It is to be regretted that an arrangement had not been made for a large 

 and careful collection, not only from these but from many other inter- 

 esting points visited by this ship. We are indebted to Mr, Charles H. 

 Townsend, the ornithologist of the expedition, for this collection, which 

 he made in connection with his other work. 



Socorro Island is the largest of the Reviilagigedo group, and is about 

 2G0 miles south of Cape St. Lucas, Lower California, in latitude 18'^ 

 43' U" and longitude 110^ 54' 13". It is about 24 miles long by 9 miles 

 broad. It contains a small mountain, which rises to the height of 2,000 

 feet. Clarion or Cloud lies to the south and west of Socorro, in lati- 

 tude 18° and longitude 114^ 50'. 



The flora of these islands is doubtless tropical and similar to that of 

 Mexico. The total number of species found on the two islands was 

 twenty-six; eighteen are from Socorro and twelve from Clarion Island, 

 four of which they have in common. One from Socorro has hitherto 

 been found only in Southern Lower California. Three new species and 

 variety are now described, one from Clarion, the others from Socorro. 

 There are three species of Sapindacete from these islands, three Leg- 

 uminos.T, from Clarion Island, three CompositiTJ and two Graminea) 

 from Socorro, and two Buphorbiacefe, one from each island. 



These plants were collected in March, 1889. 



Procp.p.dinKs National Museutn, Vol. XTII— No. 801. 



145 



Proc. N. M. 90 10 



