4 University of California Publications in Botany. [ VoL - 3 



kilometers (44,836 square miles), being- nearly the size of the 

 State of Pennsylvania. In altitude, it ranges from 87 meters 

 (287 feet) below sea level, in the Lower Sonoran Zone of its 

 Desert Area, to 3500 meters (11,485 feet) in the Alpine Zone of 

 Mt. San Gorgonio (Grayback). It is not necessary to enter more 

 fully into the geographic features nor into a description of the 

 climatic characteristics, since they have been amply treated by 

 Mr. S. B. Parish in his excellent "Sketch of the Flora of Southern 

 California." 3 



The term ' ' Compositae ' ' is here used in its broadest sense, 

 and includes the Cichoriaceae and Ambrosiaceae of some botan- 

 ists, as well as the Carduaceae, or Compositae proper. The total 

 number of species and varieties recognized in the present paper 

 is 445, aside from 47 species mentioned as occurring' near our 

 borders and to be expected within them. Of this number, about 

 37 are introduced plants, mostly cosmopolitan or Eastern North 

 American weeds. The 445 species, varieties, and forms actually 

 known to occur in Southern California are distributed by tribes 

 as follows : 



Eupatorieae 9 Helenieae 86 



Astereae 113 Anthemideae 19 



Inuleae 25 Senecioneae 25 



Ambrosieae 18 Cynareae 17 



Heliantheae 34 Mutisieae 2 



Madieae 29 Cichorieae 68 



In sising this list for purposes of comparison it should be 

 noted that the number of species could be greatly augmented by 

 recognizing numerous forms which have been described and 

 given specific names, but which are reduced to synonymy in this 

 paper. While thoroughly in sympathy with every effort to carry 

 systematic botany to the point where all forms are properly 

 recognized and classified, the author is of the opinion that the 

 exaltation of trivial forms, distinguished only by one or two 

 variable characters, to the rank of species is conducive neither 

 to clearness nor to scientific accuracy. A rational system of 

 classification should bring out the natural relationship between 

 the various forms ; should, in other words, represent the cleavage 

 3 Botanical Gazette xxxvi. 203-222 and 259-279 (1903). 



