\ FREMONTODENDRON MEXICANUM sp. nov. 



T> RANCHING shrub 10 to 20 ft. high, branches clothed with 

 -'-' dense stellate pubescence, leaves dark green above, white 

 pubescent beneath, 3-lobed or 5-lobed 2^^ in. long and the same 

 wide ; petioles longer than the blade ; flower 3-4 in. in diameter, 

 sepals obovate orange above red at base, and conspicuously 

 veined, the inner larger, all mucronate, the rounded basal pit 

 devoid of hairs; capsule 1^ in. long densely haired; seeds ovate 

 2 lines long, black. 



Type 3234 author's Herbarium; cotypes in Gray's Herb., and 

 Smithsonian Institute. 



The flower in F. Calif oniicum is a pale canary yellow. This 

 species is orange colored red at base and along the midvein, of a 

 larger size, and is altogether more showy, while the larger leaf 

 gives it a more foliaceous and ample appearance. As a decorative 

 shrub it will entirely supplant our native species now so fre- 

 quently used by the horticulturist. The seeds of F. Mexicanum 

 are smaller and darker than those of F. Californicum. 



This plant was discovered by Miss Kate O. Sessions of San 

 Diego, who raised it from seed collected near Ensenada, Lower 

 California. She says that "25 years ago there were two trees of 

 this species in San Diego and they thrived there under very try- 

 ing- conditions." The specimens from which the description has 

 been taken were gathered by Miss Sessions 15 miles from ^an 

 Diego and forwarded to Mr. Payne, the seedsman, who directed 

 my attention to them. He has a number of these growing in his 

 nursery, and their manner of growth is at first characteristically 

 dififerent. The seedlings shoot up straight as a miniature tree, 

 while those of F. Californicuin branch from near the base at an 

 early stage. 



^ Anstruther Davidson, M. D 



50 



