124 
THE CONDOR 
| Von. VIII 
Near the coast (within half a mile ot the shore) the redwoods are reduced in 
numbers and size and the few' growing at the canyon mouths are greatly gnarled 
and weather-beaten, being actually reduced in some cases to shrubs, growing 
close together, their matted tops presenting an even surface to the wind, and in 
other cases to scrawny trees with the side toward the ocean devoid of foliage. 
Farther back from the shore are dense groves of the fine large trees, extending up 
the bottoms and south sides of the canyons or those sides which do not receive the 
direct rays of the afternoon sun. A few redwoods straggle beyond these limits to 
higher altitudes but only on streams of running water, and were not found to 
reach the summit of the first ridge of the coast range. 
That the redwoods do not grow as far inland as they do north of Monterey is 
no doubt due to the difference in latitude and to the greater height of these south- 
ern mountains which more effectually cuts off fog and rain from the interior and 
also to the character of these mountains which are steeper and rockier, thus 
shedding the rain quicker. 
Above the redwood groves there was generally a belt of California lilac 
( ' Ceanothus thyrsifiorus) and then a dense growth of brake (. Pteris aquilina var. 
lanugeuosa ), thimble-berry {Rubies parviflorus ), blue lupine {Lupinus alb if r Otis') and 
monkey-flower {Diplacus glutinosus), while on the opposite side of the canyon an 
assemblage of plants suited to the more arid conditions was found. Chief of such 
plants were old man brush {Artemisia calif or nica), sage {Audibertia stachyoides ) and 
Baccharis pilularis, with chamisal {Adenostoma fasciculatum ) at higher elevations. 
The ridges and hill-tops were generally devoid of trees or shrubs, making excel- 
lent pasturage at this time of year. 
Outside of the main canyons, the steep slopes were covered, up to a thousand 
feet above the sea-level, with a variety of brush and above this the exposed slopes 
were barren. This belt of brush was evidently dependent on the fogs, which rose 
only to about a thousand feet on many mornings of our trip, and was composed 
mainly of sage, old man brush, yellow lupine {Lupinus arboreus), and some Cali- 
fornia lilac, blue lupine, monkey -flower and Baccharis pilularis. 
Other notable plants in the coast region were: The California laurel ( Umbel - 
lularia californica ), associating mostly with the redwoods but found scattered on 
certain wind-swept hillsides in a dwarfed condition; tan-bark oak {One reus densi flora ) , 
also associating with the redwoods in considerable numbers; buckthorn {Rhamnus 
crocea ), found constituting a great part of the chaparral between Spruce Creek and 
San Carpojo; and the Spanish bayonet {Yucca whippleyi) which grew very abund- 
antly on the high rocky mountain ridges. 
Also growing in suitable localities were: Poison-oak {Rhus diversiloba ), coffee 
berry {Rhamnus californica ), maple {Acer macrophyllum ), willow' {Salix lasiolcpis ), 
sycamore {Platanus racemosa ), alder {A Inns rhombifolia), Christmas berry {Heter- 
omeles arbutifolia ), and blackberry {Rubus vitifolius) . 
The Douglas spruce {Pseudotsuga taxifolia ), a rather characteristic tree of the 
northern humid coast belt, was entirely absent from all points except on Spruce 
and Ralston Creeks where a few trees seemed to flourish well. 
Pines were often seen from a distance on the mountain ridges and extending 
down a short ways on the western side. 
The yellow pine {Pinus ponderosa ) was identified on the ridge above Parting- 
ton canyon and on the headwaters of Big Creek and of Spruce Creek; the big-cone 
pine {Pinus coulteri) was noted at Partington’s and on the headwaters of Big 
Creek, and the digger pine {Pinus sabiniana) on the high ridges between Spruce 
Creek and Mt. Mars. 
