34 Bulletin Santa Barbara Society of Natural History. Vol. I. 



pollen in its attempt to get the honey from No. i, 

 rubs some of the pollen upon its stigma, thereby fer- 

 tilizing it, and thus the operation goes on as they open 

 at intervals of a few clays, along the branch from the 

 base upwards. In that way fertilization becomes gen- 

 eral throughout the tree. This is one of the instances 

 where a flower cannot be fertilized by its own pollen. 

 From my own observation I am under the impress- 

 ion that the honey secreting process continues in an 

 individual flower for many days, probably two weeks 

 or more. When the flowers are inaccessible to honey 

 seekers honey collects upon the disc of the same in 

 quantity sufficient to drip, as I have observed in some 

 instances. 



MEDICINAL PLANTS 



Growing Wild in Santa. Barbara and 

 Vicinity. 



BY MRS. R. F. BINGHAM. 



IT is said that in every climate plants are found that 

 possess properties of efficacy in counteracting the 

 diseases incident to the climate, a statement probably 

 founded on the fact that local remedies are known and 

 used everywhere. 



It is well known that most tribes of Indians have 

 their "Medicine Men," and that a knowledge of their 

 remedies has passed by tradition from generation to 

 generation. 



It is the object of this paper, to bring together, (at 

 the request of our Executive Committee,) a few facts 

 relative to the medicinal virtues of our local flora; 

 facts which have been gleaned from botanical works, 

 from conversations with some of our physicians, and 

 the native Californians. 



Rhamnus Purshiana, D. C, an extensively used 

 remedial agent, is found in limited quantities in this 

 vicinity, but grows abundantly in the northern part of 



