124 TREES AND SHRUBS 



On the mesas at the southern end of the State occurs a 

 low shrub ( Koeberlinia epinosa) usually 2 to 4 feet high, 

 composed entirely of branching green thorns. It is entirely 

 leafless, the function of the leaves being performed by the 

 bark of the stems. The flowers are small and greenish- white, 

 borne in umbel-like clusters on short peduncles. They are fol- 

 lowed by small berries the size of currants, which are black 

 when mature. As a bizarre bedding plant to be associated 

 with cacti or other arid land plants in a formal garden this 

 plant offers much; but notwithstanding its habit of living in 

 most unfavorable surroundings, we have so far been unable 

 to transplant it. 



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Growing in alkaline soils in the southern part of the 

 State occurs a small gray shrub 3 or 4 feet high, with minute 

 flowers and small crowded leaves. This is Frankenia jamesii 

 and the only representative of a family named after it. 



ca/t Cedar (Tatnarix gaUica). One of the most satisfac- 

 tory introduced plants in cultivation in this State is this shrub, 

 which is also known by the name of tamarisk. It is a much 

 branched shrub with minute leaves that, with its habit, give 

 rise to the first common name. It will endure large quanti- 

 ties of alkali in the soil, and is exceedingly drought resistant. 

 When supplied with plenty of water it grows rapidly and is 

 bright green. If it receives too little water it grows slowly 

 and is a grayish or bluish green. In the early summer it 

 produces an abundance of small light pink flowers in terminal 

 racemes. It is most easily propagated from cuttings, and 

 when once established it is almost impossible to kill it. As 

 a plant to be used upon alkaline soils where other plants do 

 poorly or in situations where too little water is available, 

 there is no other plant which is quite so satisfactory. 



Ocotillo (Fouquicria splendens) is a spiny branching 

 shrub consisting of spiny wand-like stems 6 to 10 feet long 

 branching from the base. The stems are beset with long 



