U/esi American Scientist. ijc^ 



higher elevation it becomes a taller shrub or a small tree, some- 

 times with entire leaves. The acorns are verv variable also in 

 size and shape. A peculiar excresence is formed by some insect 

 on the leaves of this oak, the galls being armed with deep, 

 bright red spin s and collected in small bunches that are quite 

 noticeable on account of their beauty. 



Q. agrifolia, Nee, the California field live oak, is a most grand 

 and picturesque tree with a stout low trunk and wide spreading 

 branches clothed in dark green leaves that persist in rendering 

 the tree an evergreen. The acorn is long, slender and tapering, 

 borne in a turbinate cup, an inch to an inch and one-half long, 

 maturing the first year This magnificent oak is found from 

 north of San Francisco to south of Todos Santos Bay, on the 

 west coast of I^ower California, extending back from the coast 

 over the foot hills, bordering the canyons and forming beautiful 

 groves in the valleys. Through the mountains ol this county, 

 southward in the peninsula, they form a prominent and character- 

 istic feature, but are absent from the higher mountains. The 

 southern limit seemed to 'me near La Grulla, where I left the last 

 low individuals of the species on my trip in 1886 to the region 

 near the old mission of San Fernando. They may be found, 

 perhaps, in the mountains back of San Quentin Bay. Mr. 

 Belding mentions an oak resembling this in the southern extrem- 

 ity of the peninsula, but Mr. Gabb does not mention it as 

 occuring south of where I observed the tree. The accompanying 

 illustration represents a characteristic individual of this beautiful 

 tree, said to equal and even surpass in size the famous oak of 

 Louisiana, with which it still further vies in the graceful tolds and 

 hanging draperies that de k its far reaching branches, furnished 

 by the delicate meshes of the lace lichen, Ramalina reticulata. 

 Tnis view will still further interest some of the readers of this 

 magazine to know that the scene it depicts is that where Dr. 

 C. C. Parry, C. G. Pringle, the author and others have collected 

 some of the identical plants which now repose in their herbaria, 

 this very tree furnishing us with shade at noonday, the little 

 meadow below, rich pasturage for our horses, and the little stream 

 beneath the sycamores on the left supplying water for lemonade 

 and cofiee. Near by our tent has been erected, our blankets 

 spread, and botanist's hearts satisfied with rich floral treasures — 

 the grand Lathy rus splendens, the queen among them all ! 



C. R. Orcutt. 



NOTES ON LOWER CALIFORNIA PLANTS. 

 I lately had the pleasure of examining an interesting collection 

 of plants made by Maurice Lopatecki on the survey of the coast 

 of Lower California by the U. S. S. Ranger. The Spanish names 

 which the collector has secured, add considerably to the value of 

 the specimens, and are here given after the botanical name. 



