2io BOTANICAL GAZETTE [September 



(Symphoricarpus rotundifolius) , forms a dense and almost impene- 

 trable chaparral 4-5 ft. high, which covers the highest, steepest 

 slopes, and the wind-swept and therefore xerophytic mountain 

 tops. In these parts of the range there is very little pine or spruce, 

 except on north-facing slopes, and from a study of the Sandia 

 Mountains alone one would be tempted to place the oaks in a 

 separate formation; but there are clumps of oak among the pine 

 in all situations, and the study of other ranges would seem to indi- 

 cate that they belong to the same formation but that the oaks form 

 a more xerophvtic association in this formation. Furthermore, 



maximum 



more mesophytic places among 



The herbs of this association are also somewhat different. 



folia, Ceanothus Fendleri, Thalictrum Fendleri 

 common are Hedeoma Drummondii, Gentiana affi 

 Gunnisonii. 



Campanula 



somewhat 



le Manzano Mountains the alligator juniper is common 

 chiefly the Pinus-Andropogon association, but having so: 

 > of the pifion formation. This would seem to be abc 

 hern limit of Juniperus pachyphloea, as it is entirely absc 

 J Sandia Mountains. 



Mountain meadows 



In places (usually saddles) on the top of the range, the cha- 

 parral gives place to a meadow-like growth, composed, however, 

 not chiefly of grasses, but of low herbs, Potentilla, Castilleja, Brickel- 

 lia, Chrysopsis villosa, Aphanostephus humilis, Gymnolomia multi- 

 flora, Actinella acaulis, Achillea lanosa, Oxytropis Lamberti, Allium 

 stellatum, and cacti of the genera Mamillaria, Cereus, and Echi- 

 nocactus. 



These open places are small, the largest being about a half-mile 

 long, and they occupy the less xerophytic situations. They are 

 sufficiently numerous to enable one to walk with comparative ease 

 along the summit of the range, dodging from one to another and 

 thus avoiding most of the chaparral. 



