214 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES  [Proc. 4TH Ser. 
terrestrial forms and are all confined to the transition and moist 
regions of the islands. The Urticaceae are represented by six 
species, one of which is endemic. They are all herbaceous 
forms except Urera alceaefolia, which forms large sized bushes 
and is rather an important element of the flora in the moist 
regions of both Albemarle and Indefatigable Islands. 
The Amarantaceae are the sixth largest family of vascular 
plants found on the islands, being represented by thirty-three 
species, varieties, and forms. The two most important genera 
are Amaranthus and Telanthera. ‘The species of the first of 
these are herbaceous in character and furnish some of the 
most noticeable of the spring weeds in the dry and transition 
regions. The species of Telanthera are woody in character 
and the genus is represented in all the regions by species which 
are shrubby or bushy in form. Of the thirteen species and 
varieties of this genus all are endemic but two. 
The Nyctaginaceae are represented by four genera, three of 
which form rather important elements of the flora. Crypto- 
carpus pyriformis is usually found in the neighborhood of the 
coast, where it often forms rather conspicuous thickets of light 
green bushes which stand out in strong contrast with the gray 
colored vegetation farther inland. Boerhaavia is represented by 
four species in the dry and transition regions, and Pisonia by 
one that forms one of the important forest trees in the transi- 
tion and moist regions. 
The family of Aizoaceae is noteworthy in that it contains 
two of the important elements of the halophytic flora, namely 
Sesuvium Edmonstonei and S. Portulacastrum. The first of 
these species is endemic, while the second has a wide distribu- 
tion on tropical shores. 
The Menispermaceae contain but two species: Cissampelos 
galapagensis and C. Pareira. The latter is one of the most 
noticeable plants in certain parts of the transition and moist 
regions, where it often covers the branches of the trees in 
great profusion, while the large number of absorbing roots 
which are put down from above may form tangled masses and 
render traveling very difficult. It is the only plant on the 
islands that approaches the woody liane type. 
The Leguminosae are the fifth largest family in number of 
species on the islands, being represented by forty-five species, 
