Page:Memoir of a tour to northern Mexico.djvu/114

[ 26 ] fumariaefolia, Sweet, was collected near Saltillo, with smaller flowers, (1 inch in diameter,) and near Rinconada, with larger ones, (3 inches in diameter;) an interesting plant, the eastern representative of the Californian Eschscholtzia, but perennial, with a small torus, a different stigma, etc.

I cannot omit to introduce here a beautiful shrub discovered on the rocks about Agua Nueva and Buena Vista by Dr. Gregg. Depend upon Don's characters of Cowania as correct, I must consider this plant as the type of a new genus, which I have great pleasure to dedicate to its indefatigable discoverer, my friend Dr. Josiah Gregg, whose name has already been frequently mentioned in these pages. Greggia rupestris is a lovely, sweet-scented shrub, with flowers resembling roses in shape and color, so that Dr. Gregg was induced to name it the "Cliff rose."

North and northeast of Monterey we reach the lower country, and with it a different vegetation; here is the home of the shrubby Cassieae (Parkinsonia Casparea, etc.,) and Mimoseae; Sophora, Diospyros, some species of Rhus and Rhamnus are common here, as well as a climbing yellow-flowered Hiraea, while another erect red-flowered species grows on the table lands near Parras. One of the most beautiful shrubs of that district is Leucophyllum texanum, Benth., with its whitish tomentose leaves and sweetscented blue flowers. It is common from San Antonio, in Texas, to Monclova, and from Cerralbo to Camargo, but is not seen on the table-lands.