No. 388.] VACATION NOTES. 305 
In the moist thickets and meadows, four species of Equise- 
tum were noted —all, so far as I know, that have yet been 
noted for the state, except Æ. Azema/le, whose occurrence here 
is doubtful. The two large species of the region of San Fran- 
cisco, Æ. robustum and E. maximum, were abundant, and Æ. 
arvense and E. levigatum, which are apparently confined to the 
mountain districts, were not uncommon. 
Two points in the neighborhood, the granite crags, from 
which it takes its name, and Cragview Summit, each about 
6000 feet above sea level, are easily reached, and their upper 
regions, which are much more arid than the lower forest, have a 
very different flora. As we ascend, the dense undergrowth of 
deciduous shrubs disappears, and the floor of the forest is but 
scantily covered with vegetation. On the exposed summits the 
trees either disappear or are much stunted, although the true 
timber line is considerably higher in more sheltered situations. 
On the dry hill slopes there is the usual growth of chaparral, 
made up largely of species of Ceanothus, one of which (C. tyr- 
siflorus), was covered with heavy-scented blue flowers, known 
popularly as “ California lilac.” The densely matted thorny 
stems of the Ceanothus make at times an almost impassable 
thicket. In the higher regions several evergreen shrubs formed 
part of the chaparral. Of these the most conspicuous were the 
dwarf chestnut (Castanopsis) and manzanita (Arctostaphylos). 
Many beautiful flowers grow in these dry regions. Chief of 
these is the beautiful white lily (Lilium washingtonianum), 
known locally as the Shasta lily. It is very common, and its 
straight stem and regular whorls of undulate leaves were seen 
on all sides rising above the low chaparral. Most of them were 
in bud, but only a few were seen in flower, as they are not in 
full bloom before the end of June. This beautiful lily is quite 
different from any of our eastern species, and the form of the 
flower, as well as the odor, recall the magnificent Japanese 
L. auratum, although the flowers are very much smaller. 
Other showy flowers noted were the scarlet De/phinium nudi- 
caule, Iris macrosiphon, Calochortus maweanus, species of Castil- 
leia, Godetia, Pentstemon, and the curious Spraguea umbellata, 
a characteristic plant of the higher Sierra. Symphoricarpus sp. ? 
