192 OXYTROPIS LAMBERTI. COLORADO LOCO-VETCH. 



Loco is a Spanish word, meaning- mad, crack-brained, or foolish, 

 which describes the effects of the weed on horses.'" 



As already noted, the Oxytropis Laniberti is not recorded as 

 being found by botanists in California, and if it is really not a 

 native there, some other plant must have similar effects, suppos- 

 ing it to be the plant, and not an insect infesting it, which causes 

 the injury. But Professor J. T. Rothrock, the botanist of 

 Wheeler's Survey of the looth meridian, believes that several 

 kinds have been known as " loco-plants," though this seems to 

 be the one he would pre-eminently give the tide to in Colorado. 

 He says: ''Oxytropis Lanibcrti in Colorado, and Astragalus 

 Honiii and Astragalus Icjitigiiiosus, variety Fi-cnwntii, in Califor- 

 nia, are known as loco-plants. The term loco, simply meaning 

 foolish, is applied because of the peculiar form of dementia 

 induced in the animals that are in the habit of eating the plant. 

 In Arizona, I was told the Hosackia Purshiana produces effects 

 similar to the above plants, but I have no certain knowledge con- 

 cerning it." In a note added before the work Vv-as finally issued 

 the following observation is made : " The alcoholic extract of 

 this plant failed, when hypodermically injected by Dr. H. C. 

 Wood, to produce poisonous symptoms in the lower animals. 

 He hence concludes it is a mistake to regard the Oxytropis 

 Lainbcrti as one of the ' loco plants.' " Perhaps there may be 

 some foundation for the Indian chief's suggestion that insects 

 have more to do with the dementia than the plant itself; at any 

 rate, it would be pleasant to know that a wild flower we cannot 

 but admire for its beauty is devoid of all noxious qualities. 



Its time of blooming seems to extend more or less over the 

 whole season, judging by the reports of those who have found it. 

 Its name occurs among the collections of most of the expeditions 

 that have gone across the continent during the past fifty years, 

 and though these have been at various seasons from June till 

 October, it is generally reported as being gathered in flower. 



Explanations of the Plate. — i. A complete and average sized plant. 2. A spike with 

 nearly mature seed vessels, from the same plant. 



