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the graceful Pluchea borealis. A broad sandy arroyo led up to 

 the foothills and thence into the very breast of the Sierra San 

 Pedro de Martir (St. Peter the Martyr), which annually brought 

 down tons of sand and gravel and boulders from that mysterious 

 peak. Packing our blankets and some provisions on our horses, 

 I and my assistant ventured into the narrow canyon, but found 

 the intervening " three miles " a full dozen before we entered 

 the defile. 



For a mile or two we plodded through the deep sand, bounded 

 on either hand by impregnable cliffs or barren, gravelly slopes, 

 with only now and then a side oasis, or rather delta, where some 

 side canyon contributed its quota of detritus. On these deltas 

 we were pleased to find the beautiful blue palm (Krythea armata) 

 thriving, loaded with clusters of its edible fruit — at that time 

 hard and green. 



One or two large clusters of the Calif ornian, Rhus laurina, 

 and of the Toyon or California Holly ( Heteromeles arbutifolia) 

 remind us of the typical Californian vegetation. Otherwise the 

 prevailing plants were of the Sonoran or desert region, to which 

 the palms properly belonged. The beautiful shrubby Pentstemon 

 Palmeri, and various others of the desert flora, reminded me 

 very strongly of the slopes of the Canyon Cantilles, on the eastern 

 (gulf) side of these peninsular mountains. 



Farther up this canyon we had been assured that we should 

 find a different palm from any we had seen elsewhere, but our 

 informant bore the distinction of being the greatest prevaricator 

 in the country. We had already learned from experience of his 

 ability in that direction and did not hesitate to return when we 

 found our progress impeded by more and more threatening 

 quicksands, over which a few inches of water quietly flowed to 

 the ocean — the last of the winter rains. 



Our return to the ranch house was even more difficult, as 

 when we emerged from the canyon again there were no land- 

 marks visible on the broad plain that bordered the sea and called 

 by courtesy a valley. Roads there were none, but finally our 

 horses led us by instinct aright and we found our botanical 

 treasures safe in camp. 



To the south of the Santa Maria the road followed the beach 

 of the Pacific Ocean. A few plants grew in the sand dunes 

 characteristic of the region. A new species of Drymaria, the 



