Ous. Ill Ill's cclcl)r;iti-(l letter <lc.scril)iiig tin- events of his (irst voyage, I'ohnnlnis 

 ineiitioiis its ;iliiiii<lanee on tlie iiortli shores of C'uija, October 17, HW, only si\ 

 (lays after he had lirst set foot on the New World.'-' Oviedo mentions "verdolagos 

 o portiiluca" as a familiar herb on the island of Ilisiianiola about 1526, and spe- 

 eilieally slates that it was already growing there before the arrival of Kuropeans, 

 and that it was not introdnecd by them.-''' Other citations are given by (iray anil 

 'rrnmbell" from early writers showing the presence of purslane at several places 

 in Im'uIi South and North America at the time of tlie arrival of the earliest visi- 

 tants. At later periods it at least preceded, rather than followed, the advance of 

 settlements. While the Rocky Mountain region was still a wild and distant wilder- 

 ness, inh.ibitcd only by Indians, juirslanc was so al)und;int on the upper Mississippi 

 that Nuttall -" considered it indigenous there and in 1820, James found it "one of 

 the most fre(|ueiit plants" al)out the sources of the Red River.-" I fmd nothing to 

 indicate its presence in California before the Pioneer Period, and it was iierhaps in- 

 troduced at that time. Purslane is not enumerated in Bolander's Catalogue of 

 San Francisco Plants,-" and in Behr's I'lora of the same district"" it is noted only 

 as "an escape from cultivation." According to Decandolle' ' purslane originated in 

 Western Asia, Russia and Cireece. 



CARYOPHYLLACEAE 



Cerastium viscosum L. Mouse-ear Chickweed. 



Occasionally in lawns and shady grounds, mostly in the coastal region. San 

 Diego, Orcutt in 1884. Santa Monica and Los Angeles, Davidson in 189.^. Witch 

 Creek, Alderson in 1898. Temecula, Hall in 1898. Throughout the state. Native of 

 Europe. 



Stellaria media Cyr. Chickweed. 



.Vbundantly naturalized in shady places, notably about habitations, in early 

 spring. .Native of Europe. 



Sagina apetala Ard. Pearlwort. 



Abundant in a city lot at Pasadena, Grant in 1917. The only other Californian 

 collection seen was from Jackson, Amador County, Hansen in 1892. Native of 

 Europe. 



Arenaria serpylliiolia L. Sandwort. 



Claremont, in lawns, Johnston in 1918. Infrequent in the state. Native of 

 Europe. 

 Spergula arvensis L. Spurry. 



,\lnnulaiitly naturalized in lawns, gardens, and by waysides, at .Santa Barbara, 

 Parish in 1916. Further south it is infreouent in the coastal region. San Diego, 

 T. S. Brandegee in 1901. Pasadena, Davidson in 1892. An abundant weed in the 

 Monterey and .San Francisco region. Native of Europe. 



Polycarpon tetraphyllum L. 



Freouent in crevices of pavements, Santa Barbara, T. Payne in 1920. Occa- 

 sional in towns in the Bay region. Native of Europe. 



Vaccaria vulgaris Host. Cow-herb. 



An occasional waif, usually in grain fields, or farmsteads. San Diego, Orcutt 

 in 1884. Near San Bernardino, Parish in 1891. Sierra Madre, Davidson in 1908. 

 Highland. Parish in 1917. Upland, and San Antonio Canon, 4.000 ft. alt.. Johnston 

 in 1917. Mojave Desert, near Baxter, a single plant by the railway, in 1915. Native 

 of Europe. 



Agrostemma Githago L. Corn Cockle. 



.An infrequent waif in grain fields or orchards. San Bernardino, in 1912. Colo- 

 rado Desert; Imperial Valley, a single plant, in 1913. Native of Europe. 



Silene gallica L. English Catchfly. 



Thoroughly and widely naturalized as a ruderal weed, and more abundantly 

 in feral grounds; probably an early introduction. Native of Europe. 



Silene noctiflora L. Night-blooming Catchfly. 



Alhambra, in lawns, Davidson in 1908. Native of Europe. 



Lychnis alha. Mill. White Campion. 



_In lawns at Claremont, Miss M. S. Walton in 1916. and Upland, Johnston in 

 1917. Not otherwise known from the state. Native of Europe. 



Spereularia rubra J. & C. Presl. 



Claremont, Johnston in 1918, and Parish in 1919. Native of Europe. 



^^Oviedo. Hist. Gf-n. v Nat. Indias. 1535. 



="Am. Jour. Sci. 3d Ser. Grav's Scientific Papers 1:226. 1889. 



=^Nuttall. T. Gen. 2:6. 1818. 



"Hames E. Ace. Long's Exned. to Rocky Mts. in 1819-?0. 2:6 



^^Bolander, H. N. Cat. PI. Vicinity of San Francisco. 1870. 



•■'"Behr, H. Flora Vicinity of San Francisco. 196. 1888. 



■■"Decandolle, A. Orig. des Plantes Cult. 70. 1883. 



16 



