Immigrant Plants in Los Angeles County, Cal. 67 



early pioneer, that led the Indian to call it the "white man's foot." 

 A farther traveled and more constant 'Companion of civilization is 

 the Shepherd's Purse (Capsella Bursapastoris), already abundant in 

 California. 



This hardy and prolific weed accompanied the Roman legions 

 in their conquest of Gaul and Britain; and, after the lapse of cen- 

 turies, followed the Anglo Saxon in the peaceful conquest of the 

 West. The more useful European species have, of course, been pri- 

 marily introduced for agricultural or domestic purposes. Of these the 

 most valuable and most interesting historically is the Medicago sativa 

 Lin., the alfalfa of the Spaniard, and Lucern of the French. This has 

 been so long and so commonly cultivated in Spain that it seems but 

 natural they should have introduced it here in the early days of the 

 conquest. Though cultivated before this time by the Greeks and 

 Romans, it is not indigenous to Italy, having been brought from 

 Media at the time of the Persian war, 470 years before the Chris- 

 tian era. The very name (Alfalfa) indicates its origin, being the 

 Arabic derivation of the Persian name. The history of Alfalfa is 

 but the history of many of our now supposed indigneous plants; 

 they have by accident, or otherwise, followed the path of civiliza- 

 tion westward, till it becomes difficult to discriminate between what 

 is indigenous, or otherwise. 



Among the other useful fodder plants, abundant around Los 

 Angeles, are: Erodium cicutarium and Erodium moschatum, or 

 Filaree, better known in Europe as the Stork's bill and Melilotus 

 parviflora, the Melilot. Whether these, like Alfalfa, were inten- 

 tionally introduced, I have no imans of knowing, but the proba- 

 bility is their introduction was accidental, and once introduced, and 

 their value recognized, their wide-spread distribution is easily ac- 

 counted for. Around Los Angeles, it seems to me its introduction, 

 useful though it is, is not altogether an unmitigated blessing, as it 

 has crowded out the natural and more enduring native grasses that 

 otherwise would afford grazing supplies long after the filaree has 

 disappeared. 



Of grasses, I have observed Lolium perenne (rye grass), Dactylis 

 glomerata (cock's-foot), Phleum pratense (cat's-tail), Festuca myu- 

 rus, Phlaris canariensis and Poa annua, in the lawns and waste 

 places within the city. Eragrostis pceoides and Panicum crusgalli are 

 not infrequently near the river. Lolium temulentum exists spar- 

 ingly at San Pedro; Bromus racemosus general, and in many parts 

 common, and seems the only important grass that tends to naturalize 

 and increase. 



Of the clovers, Medicago deticulata, the Burr clover alone is com- 

 mon, the nature of its fruit ensuring its maintenance and continued 

 extension; Medicago lupulina and Trifolium arvese, or Dutch 

 clover, are merely casuals, and rare at that. 



First cultivated, as useful plants, Brassica nigra (wild mustard). 



