43G EXPLOr.ATIO!s^S ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN OF UTAH. 



fled at tlie end of lateral l^ranclilets, a few lines to 1 or 1 J inches in length closely 

 'cd with circnlar scars. Leaves very thick and leathery, persistent, lanceolate, 



both ends, entire and 



t5 



ck midrib, m 



on the lower surfoce, 9-14 lines long-, 2|-3.] lines wide, on a petiole l|-2 lines long, 

 to the lower part of which adhere lanceolate, brown, scarious stipules. When young, the 

 branchlets as well as tlie leaves are covered all over with short, curly hair; when older, 

 the leaves become glabrous and glossy on the upper surface, the lower remaining hairy 

 and assuming a rusty color. The sessile flowers are produced in June from the 

 axils of the uppermost leaves of the preceding year's growth, either single or 2 or 3 

 together; shoii scarious bracts envelop the base of the cylindrical woolly calyx-tube, 

 which is 3 lines long; its 5-lobed, white limb, 3-4 lines in diameter, is very woolly 

 externally, and less so internally, and bears about 20 or 25 naked, slender filaments^ 

 u Ith rcnifurm antliers ^ line in diameter. Immediately after flowering, the silky-feathery 

 style becomes elongated, and carries up* with it the detached limb of the calyx; at 

 maturity, the ^tyle becomes a twisted, feathery tail of about 2 inches in length; the 

 incon?ipicuous, linear, hairy fruit itself is about 4 lines long, and remains hid in the 

 persistent, calyx-tube; at its top and base I observe a beard of very curious, stiff, white 

 bristles, less than a line in length, thicker in the middle, and tapering toward both ex- 

 tremities. Tlie fruit seems to be somewhat persistent, as I find it in specimens collected 

 in spring before the flowering-season. About the time of flowering, the young leaves 

 begin to develop at the end of the branchlets, leaving the flowers between them and 



s of the year before. I generally find 4 or 5 leaves of the same y 

 [1 of each branchlct; they probably fall off when" about 15 or If^ 



L'owth 



s old. 



This fine tree, discovered ])y Nuttall on Bear River, north of the Salt T.ako, and 

 t' ^^Thornberg's Ravine" in the Rocky Mountahis, was found by the expedition on 

 Lookout Mountains and other mountain-chains of the basin. 



CACTACE^. 



he geographical limits of the area of this curious American family have been 



ronsiffcrably enlarged by this expedition, proving the presence of at least 7 species 

 the Utah Basin between the thiily-eighth and fortieth parallels, viz: 2 Echinocacti, 

 (Jereus, and 4 Opuntia^. Several species known before ha\'e been found in ncAv locc^ 

 ities, and 3 new and ver}" distuict species have been discovered, 2 Echinocacti and 

 Opnntia. 



M 



3 



J fa worth, Siqypl j). 72; Torrcy & Gray, Fl. N. Am. 2, p. 



CacL p. 13; Cactus Yivipariis, Kuttall^ Gen 



Was collected in the South Pass and on Sweetwater River. It extends from her( 



to the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico, but its most characteristic ft>rms an 



peculiar to the more elevated plains, where it assumes tliat cespitose, spreading appear 



ance, from which it has received its name. The mountain form usually makqs large: 

 heads, hut remains sii 



remains smgle or branches out very sparingly. Its large purple flowers, 

 with numerous lance-hnear, long acuminate, biistle-pointed petals, and its leather- 

 brown pitted seeds, readil}' distinguish it from allied species. 



