Zygophyllaceae, more abundant farther south. In the same neighborhood the mezquite tree or shrub was first met with, probably Algarobia glandulosa, T. and G. Prom here the mezquite was abundantly found down to Matamoros, but the specimens collected appear to indicate that there are at least two different species.
On the next day, near Sabino, an interesting bignoniaceous shrub was collected for the first time, undoubtedly the Chilopsis of Don, which farther south appears more abundantly. Its slightly twining branches, willow-like slender glutinous leaves, and large paler or darker red flowers, render it a very remarkable shrub. Dr. Gregg mentions it under the name of "Mimbre," as one of the most beautiful shrubs of northern Mexico. The character given by Don, and that of Decandolle, appear defective, though I cannot doubt that both had our plant in view. From the very complete specimens obtained both by Dr. Wislizenus and Dr. Gregg, I am enabled to correct those errors.[1]
Near Albuquerque a curious Opuntia was observed; it evidently belongs to Opuntiae cylindraceae, but has short clavate joints, which make the
- ↑ Chilopsis Don, char, emend. Calyx ovatus plus minusve bilobus, lobo altero breviter 3, altero 2 dentato; corolla basi tubulosa, curvata, fauce dilatata, companulata, limbo 5 lobo, crispato-crenato; stamina 4 fertilia didynama, antherarum nudarum lobis ovatis, obtusis; quintum sterile brevius nudum; ovarium ovatum; stylus filiformis, stigma bilamellatum; capsula siliquaeformis, elongata, bilocularis, septo contrario placentifero; semina transversa margine utroque comosa.
An erect Mexican shrub, 8 to 12 feet high, ends of branches often slightly twining; branches smooth, and glutinous or rarely woolly; lower ones sparse, lanceolate-linear, long-acuminate, glabrous or glutinous; racemes compound, terminal, pubescent; pedicells bracted, corolls rose-colored or deeper red or purple.
Along water-courses or in ravines, from Sabino, near Albuquerque to Chihuahua, Saltillo and Monterey. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, 1 to 3 lines wide; flowers 114 to 112 inch long; fruit 6 to 10 inches, long; seeds with the coma 6 lines long.
There are perhaps two species–one from the neighborhood of Saltillo, with larger, paler flowers, broader, not glutinous leaves, and woolly branchlets, perhaps the Ch. saligna Don; the other from New Mexico and Chihuahua, with longer, narrower glutinous leaves, perfectly glabrous, glutinous branchlets, and darker and smaller flowers; may be Ch. linearis, D. C., or a new species, Ch. glutinosa. The Calyx is variable in both.
vosis, coriaceis, adpresse pilosis glutinosis; floribus inter folia opposita solitariis; fructu 5-cocco villoso.
Common from Olla and Fray Cristobal, in New Mexico, to Chihuahua and Saltillo; also about Presidio, (Dr. Gregg;) flowers in March and April; fruit ripe in July. Shrub 5 to 8 feet high, very much branched, very glutinous; used as a sudorific and diuretic, and called gobernadora, or in the north guamis, according to Dr. Gregg. Leaflets 3 to 6 lines long and half as wide, cuspidate or mucronate; ovary 5 celled, each cell with 3 or 4 ovules; fruit 3 lines in diameter, globose, attenuated at base; seeds by abortion only one in each cell, falcate, smooth, shining.
