Thorne gained an international reputation through his contributions to our understanding of the evolution of flowering plants... and that has culminated recently in two... publications, one outlining his classifications of monocots (Thorne 2000) and the other on the dicotyledons (Thorne 2001). Thorne was a guide and teacher for the many staff, students, researchers, and visitors of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden through the years. Among his projects was completing floristic works on both the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, a study of the flora of Sierra San Pedro Martir, and a checklist for the entire Baja peninsula.