8 



MADRONO 



[Vol. 1, 



Hoak, on her own initiative has confirmed this observation, although 

 further field notes on this species are desired. I have seen it many 

 times in the field, but never where the fire evidence was verv clear. 



Fig. 3. 



Arctostaphylos patula is the common species of the main conifer- 

 ous belt in the Sierra Nevada from the south to the north, and west 

 to Mt. Shasta and Trinity Summit. It is a shrub four to six feet 

 high, and is remarkable for its rather dark but lively green and 

 shining foliage. Under fire killing of its crown, or even apparently 

 in advance of such killing, this species forms a turnip-shaped or 

 globose root-crown that continues to increase in thickness and per- 

 sistently sprouts under the successive conflagrations that run 

 through the chaparral. Winter snowfall is heavy in this region. Its 

 branches in consequence often lie along the ground, at least as to 

 their lower part, and so take root. Spreading of the species in a 

 given area may occur onty in this way — that is, by the rooting of 

 ascending or horizontally spreading branches. 



