Our Californian buckeye is closely allied to the horse-chestnuts and buckeyes of the eastern half of the continent. It is usually found upon stream-banks or the side-walls of cañons, and reaches its greatest perfection in the valleys of our central Coast Ranges. It usually branches low into a number of clean, round, light-gray limbs, which widen out into a broad, dense, rounded head. Its leaves are fully developed before the flowers appear. When in full bloom, in May, it is considered one of the most beautiful of all our American species. Its long, white flower-spikes, sprinkled rather regularly over the green mound of foliage, are very suggestive of a neat calico print. Early to come, the leaves are as early to depart, and by midsummer the beautiful skeleton is often bare, its interlacing twigs making a delicate network against the deep azure of the sky.
Though lavish in its production of flowers, usually but one or two of the large cluster succeed in maturing fruit. By October and November the leathery pods begin to yield up their big golden-brown nuts, which are great favorites among the squirrels. The Indians are said to resort to these nuts in times of famine. Before using them, they roast them a day or two in the ground, to extract the poison.
The inner wood of the root, after being kiln-cured for several weeks, becomes very valuable to the cabinet-maker. It is then of an exquisite mottled green, and when highly polished can hardly be distinguished from a fine piece of onyx.
PUSSY'S-PAWS.
Spraguea umbellata, Torr. Purslane Family.
Radical-leaves.—Spatulate or oblanceolate; six lines to four inches long. Stem-leaves.—Similar, but smaller, often reduced to a few bracts. Scapes.—Several; two to twelve inches high. Flowers.—In dense spikes. Sepals.—Two; orbicular; thin; papery; two to four lines across; whitish; equaling the petals. Petals.—Four; rose-color. Stamens.—Three. Ovary.—One-celled. Style bifid. Hab.—The Sierras, from the Yosemite to British Columbia.
Pussy's-paws is a very plentiful plant in the Sierras, usually growing upon dry, rocky soil. It varies much in aspect, sometimes sending up a stout, erect flower-scape, and again growing low and matlike with its prostrate flower-stems radiating from the center. It blooms from early summer onward, often almost covering the ground with its blossoms. The flower-clusters grow in a bunch, much like the pink cushions on pussy's feet, whence the pretty common name.
SPANISH BAYONET. OUR LORD'S CANDLE.
Yucca Whipplei, Torr. Lily Family.
Without a trunk. Leaves.—All radical in a bristling hemisphere; sword-like. Flower-panicles.—Distaff-shaped; three or more feet long; at the summit of a leafless bracteate scape, ten or fifteen feet high. Perianth.—Rotately spreading; waxen-white (sometimes rich purple), often green- or purple-nerved. Filaments.—Clavate; pure white. Anthers transverse; yellow. Style very thick; three-angled. Stigma stalked; green; covered with tiny prominences. Fruit.—A dry capsule. (Structure otherwise as in Y. Mohavensis.) Hab.—Monterey to San Diego and eastward.