576 Part IV. _ Chapter 3. 
Juneus baltieus, both in alkaline soil, while in the shallow washes of this desert growth Statiee 
(Limonium) limbatum. : ’ 
A section from the base of the Sacramento Mountains, southwest 
through Alamogordo in to the Tularosa Desert shows five strips: (1) A strip 
of cacti, Mamillaria of several species, Fouguiera splendens, Agave Parryi and 
Dasylırion texanum, (2) the delta slopes from the mountain canyons, charac- 
terized by a nearly pure growth of creosote bush Zarrea mexricana (= Covillea 
iridentata), the soil usually gravelly; (3) the mesquite (Prosopis) strip with 
thickets of Opuntia fulgida; (4) the area of Arriplex canescens and (5) the 
White Sands. 
Bolson Basins Formation. Such basins have no established surface drainage, so that 
the rain water gathers at the lowest points forming mud flats, or shallow lakes. The vegetation 
of the flats consists of halophilous species. Black brush, Flourensia cernua and other shrubs, 
such as Larrea, are tolerant of the alkali. Some typic beach plants also occur, as: Lycium 
carolinianum, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Distichlis spicata, Salicornia ambigua, while the character- 
A. expansa, A. canescens, Eurotia lanata, Spirostachys oceidentalis, Frankenia Jamesii are abund- | 
Brary. 
ant, according to 
The Gravel Hills Formation in the neighborhood of Santa Fe, New Mexico 
are characterized by the presence of Pinus edulis, rarely over six feet in height, 
and JFuniperus occidentalis on the ground between which occur Aczinella & 
argentea, Pentstemon Fendleri, Astragalus cyaneus, A. diphysus, Lesquerella 
intermedia (close to the ground) Zinum puberulum, Oenothera albicaulis and 
others‘). | 
The Lava Beds Formation of this desert (malpais of the Mexicans) are 
characterized by Funiperus occidentalis, Opuntia fulgida, (sometimes ten or 
twelve feet high) and the nut pine Pinus edulis. Great springs saturated with 
salt and alkali issue from the southern rim of the lava beds and here tufts of 
Suaeda and Spirostachys are set close against the lava wall). Elsewhere near 
the Organ Mountains the plants of alkaline soil are Bigelovia Rusbyi, Heli R 
anthus ciliosa and species of Sesuvium, Trianthema and Atriplex. 
Mesa Formation. The table land during the dry season is desolate, but 
during wet season presents great luxuriance of species in the genera: Allum 
Calochortus, Brodiaea, Bouteloua, Aristida, Poa; Agrostis verticillata, Setaria 
caudata abound. Vegetation is mostly in patches. Such are Pectis, Gutierrezin 
Vıguiera, Verbesina, Hymenatherum, Aymenopappus, Astragalus, Pentstemon. _ 
In the slightly elevated, broken ground abound Argemone, Oenothera, Sid 
Malvastrum, Sphaeralcea. One or more species of Eriogonum, will be foun in E 
everywhere. Bahia oppositifolia, Actinella odorata, Dysodia chrysanthemoides, 
D. Cooperi, Schkuhria, Hoffmannseggia. 
On the mesas in New Mexico oecur Bouteloua oligostachya, Hilaria Jamesii, Aristida 4 
purpurea as the prevailing grasses with Sporobolus airoides, Oryzopsis micrantha, Poa Bigelovü, 
1) HELLER, A. A.: Plant World, I: 21. Nov. 1897. € 
2) Mac BrıDE, THomAs H.: The Alamogordo Desert. 1905. 
TEN TE ET RP TE 7 Fe 
