BOTANICAL REPORT. 289 
_ through Western New Mexico and Northern Arizona, the surveyed ra 
_ Toute on the 35° parallel traversing the most desirable portions. Being 
imperfect view of its botanical features could be obtained, but the faded vestiges’ 
floral beauty were manifest on every hand to testify to the luxuriant rich- 
ess of its su er dress, 
“The uplands of the valley of the Colorado, om the desert oo extending 
to the foot of the Sierr ada, comprise a singular and very inte 
a 
flora, the general features of which, though ates Seairesh xamined, are still 
fairly represented in scientific collections. Here arborescent Cacti and tree 
yuccas form a conspicuous feature in the landscape, whilst the true desert flora, 
such as the neat evergreen Larrea with its myrtle-shaped | rae vere: us with 
a host of thorny Mimose, dull-coloured Obione, or grease prevalent 
Artemisias, all serve to give a faded aspect to the vegetation 
the annual growth is here exceedingly rapid and evanescent, an and 
mainly of delicate grasses and tender-foliaged plants, which expand quickly 
with the early spring rains, and disappear as suddenly when the scorching sun 
licks up the superficial — leaving no previous 5 
Save the diminutive seeds from sight in the ligh sand or 
gravelly soil t nie water-comrses of this district we meet constantly 
the Cercidium fl ; « green-barked Acacia,” the arborescent Dales 
oridum 
(Dalea erp with ite ane leafless branches, and the valuable ‘‘iron- 
wood” (Olneya Tesota). 
The Chilopsis linearis, allied to Catalpa, is also abundant, being known under 
the common name of the «‘ desert willow,” its long slender branches being used 
by the Indians for basket-work. In the river bottoms we mee eet with luxuriant 
growths of mezquit and ‘screw-bean,” the former furnishing a very durable 
wood, affording prec pan ee of peer size for railroad ties 35 
is the 
in. 
Most of the plants of this district, mrp especially the Artemisias and 
other shrubby Composite, are smeared Ww a resinous varnish, which gives 
a pleasant stimulating aroma, noticed oe nearly al desert —— Tt is 
quite probable that some of these plants possess val uable ae —— 
or are adapted for dyes or varnishes, P resenting a subject we. worthy 
pe the rich vegeta- 
In reaching the Pacific slope of the —— mountains, onder 
tion of this district is brought forcibly acer contrast ine aoe 
is before noticed. In the moist hum doi of the mountain valleys 
here meet with those gigantic monsters of the forest found nowher ‘ 
