SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 103 



in some cases these glands are subject to variation, or even may 

 become obsolete. The size of the flower in individuals of the 

 same species often varies greatly, but the proportional dimen- 

 sions of the petal, and the relative lengths of petals and sepals, 

 are commonly, but not invariably, preserved. The character of the 

 tips of the sepals, as to remaining erect, or becoming more or less 

 recurved, or even coiled, has been relied upon, but appears of 

 slight value. The color and shape of the anther, and to some 

 extent the proportionate length of the filamant in respect to it, 

 are of value in the discrimination of some species. 



In the grouping of the Southern California species, at least, 

 the most reliable character appears to be the presence or absence 

 of hairs on the inner surface of the petals, their nature, and the 

 area occupied by them when present. 



The corms of Calochortus are usually solitary, rarely two or 

 three, or even several, together, and each corm produces a single 

 stem, or sometimes two or three stems. They grow at a depth 

 of six inches or more, commonl)' in dry gravelly or stony soil, and 

 usually in the protection of shrubs. This is not however an 

 invariable habit; C. invenust7is sometime grows in wet meadows, 

 C ■ Keunedyi frequently in hard clay, and C. striatus is found in 

 soil strongly alkaline. The flowers in Eucalochortus are 

 generally produced in a sort of few-flowered umbel, the branches 

 subtended by reduced leaves, or bracts. The basal leaves, one 

 or more in number, are long, narrow and grasslike. 



In the accompanying table the local distribution of the 

 various species, both regional and altitudinal, is shown. The 

 region between the Sierra Nevada range and the sea has been 

 designated, for lack of a better name, as the Intramontane 

 Region, since it is composed oreographically of valleys lying 

 between mountain ridges. It contains two well marked sub- 

 regions; the Costal, extending 25-30 miles from the ocean, and 

 usually not exceeding 500 feet in altitude; and the Interior, the 

 remaining portion, including the foothills, and heaving an alti- 

 tude of 1,000 to 4,000 feet. The islands off the coast may be 

 separated advantageously as a third subregion. The Nevadan 

 Region is practically delimited by the pine belt of the Sierra. 

 The Mojave subregion of the Desert only is given, as no species 

 of Calochortus are known from the Colorado desert. 



