128 California bruits and Flowers. 



DODECATHEON. 



The Giant Cyclamen, Dodecatheon Clevelandi, is one of the 

 most charming of the many lovely spring flowers of Southern 

 California. Every child in springtime is sure to gather large 

 handfuls of the fragrant flowers, and each has some pretty name 

 for them such as Rabbit-ears, Shooting-stars, or Mad Violets. 

 The flowering stem is usually a foot high, bearing an umbel of 

 six to twenty-five of the large brilliant flowers. The center of 

 the flower is of a rich prune purple bordered with bright lemon 

 yellow, the reflexed divisions of the corolla pure white or tipped 

 with lavender or phlox purple. Several varieties have been in- 

 troduced as follows. 



D. Clevelandi Greene. As above described, with lavender 

 Colored divisions of the corolla. The varieties: 



i — Alba. Divisions of a pure white. 



2 — Splendens. Divisions of a deep brilliant phlox purple. 



ECHINOCACTUS. 



i nis genus includes over 200 species of depressed-globose or 

 cylindrical cacti, some of very large size. They are remarkable 

 for their beauty and symmetry of growth, armed with strong 

 spines as a rule. 



E. cylindraceus Engelm. Noted for its beautiful flexuous 

 spines, frequently of an ivory whiteness. I have measured one 

 plant that exceeded ten feet in height, and nearly two feet in 

 diameter. Usually under three feet high. Flowers two inches 

 across, of a clear lemon yellow.* 



E. Emoryi Engelm. Dull red spines and flowers. 



E. Lecontei Engelm. Spines of a silvery grey color usually. 



E. polycephalus Engelm. A rare desert species. Very 

 distinct from all others. 



E. Orcuttii Engelm. A fine cylindrical form found in Lower 

 California. 



E. viridescens Nutt. A depressed-globose plant, common 

 near San Diego. Known as the Turk's head cactus. 



E. Wislizeni Engelm. The Giant Fish-hook cactus; the 

 typical form occurs in New Mexico. 



ERYTHEA. 



A genus of beautiful palms peculiar to California, related to 

 the genus Brahea, with which it has been sometimes included. 

 The leaves are fan-shaped, without filaments. The fruit is edi- 

 ble, with seeds as large as marbles. 



E. armata Watson. The Blue palm, with bluish-white leaves 

 for which it ranks high among the ornamental palms. 



E. edulis Watson. A larger tree, of more rapid growth, and 

 foliage of a dark green. Considered one of the most desirable 

 of oalms. 



