2. THE CALIFORNIA FLORA 



Size of the Flora 



According to Munz' A California Flora (1959) and the 

 Supplement to the California Flora (1968), there are just over 

 5,000 vascular plant species in California that are native to the 

 state. (A vascular plant is one which has a well-developed vascu- 

 lar system consisting of specialized cells that function to trans- 

 port water, dissolved minerals, and other substances throughout 

 the plant body. Fungi, algae, mosses, and liverworts are not 

 vascular plants; club mosses, horsetails, ferns, gymnosperms, and 

 flowering plants are vascular plants.) In addition, there are an 

 estimated 975 additional species that have been introduced 

 into the state and have become established as a part of the weed 

 flora of the state. The species listed by Munz are those native 

 and introduced vascular plant species that grow in California 

 without cultivation. In total, the coverage by Munz includes 

 about 6,000 native and introduced vascular plants that are dis- 

 tributed in 1 ,139 genera. Of the 162 plant famiUes native in the 

 state the following are the six largest (figures are approximate 

 only): 



Totals: 6 families 301 genera 2455 species 



A simple analysis of the preceding figures reveals that 41 per- 

 cent of the species of vascular plants in CaUfornia belong to only 

 six families. Anyone who is faced with identifying California 

 plants in any part of the state will simpUfy his task by learning 

 the distinguishing characteristics of these six families. 



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