6 WEST AMERICAN OAKS. 



They are never so in that species. Q. Wislizeni is less widely distributed than Q. agri- 

 folia^ and does not appear to inhabit the westward slope of the Coast Range at all; 

 but keeps itself away from the influences of the sea; whereas, Q. agrifolia grows in in- 

 creased abundance, and often attains its largest development in the vicinity of the ocean. 

 I am now constrained to refer to the present species, a diminutive bush oak indigen- 

 ous to the higher parts of Santa Cruz Island, which, shortly after its discovery I published 

 as new, under the name Q. parvula. Its maritime habitat is, indeed, against the presump- 

 tion of its specific identity with Q. Wislizeni ; the small size of the shrub, and the some- 

 what different pubescence of the reduced cups, are objections more easily gotten over; but 

 there are some mainland specimens from Mt. Tamalpais which, in these points, approach it 

 more closely than I knew. 



