. Results of a biological survey of mount Shasta, California. 1899.] EFFECTS OF SCANTY MOIST[JRE. 19 EFFECTS OF SCANTY ^NiOTSTClJE. The flora of Shasta, contrasted with that olinoistei- iiiountains imme-diately nortli and immediately soutli, is poor in species and individuals;and the same is true in less degree of the fanna. At least nineteencharacteristic genera and numerous additional species of i)lants com-mon to the Sierra and the Cascades, are unknown (p. 80); and to thesemust be added the distinctive s])ecies of each range which fail to reachShasta. The luxuriant mountain meadows a
. Results of a biological survey of mount Shasta, California. 1899.] EFFECTS OF SCANTY MOIST[JRE. 19 EFFECTS OF SCANTY ^NiOTSTClJE. The flora of Shasta, contrasted with that olinoistei- iiiountains imme-diately nortli and immediately soutli, is poor in species and individuals;and the same is true in less degree of the fanna. At least nineteencharacteristic genera and numerous additional species of i)lants com-mon to the Sierra and the Cascades, are unknown (p. 80); and to thesemust be added the distinctive s])ecies of each range which fail to reachShasta. The luxuriant mountain meadows and ilower beds that formsuch conspicuous features of the timberliue region in the Cascades, theOlympics, the High Sierra, and the IJocky Mountains are whollyabsent, and the only areas that in any way resemble tliem are the. Fig. 8.—Heatlu r imadow Squaw (Jrcik. pcalv in ilislaiK September 22, 1898. ?11(1 with fresh snow, insignificant patches of mountain heather and accompanying plantsthat carpet the moist bottoms of the glacier basins and form narrowbeds along the tiny streams, where tliey are concentrated by the localdistribution of soil moisture. The only real soil above timberliue isrestricted to the borders of the streamlets, where the decomposingheather has left a shallow covering. Everywhere else are pumice,broken lava, and barren clifls. The summer rainfall amounts to little or nothing, and when rainsoccur they sink and vanish in the thirsty pumice sand. The streamsfrom melting snows are exceedingly small, averaging hardly more thana foot or two in width, and most of them disappear before reaching thebase of the mountain. The turbid streams from the glaciers are larger, 20 NORTH AMERICAN FAIXA. [NO. 16. but tliey Lave cut for themselves deep gorges where they run theirrapi
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