17 
** Petals yellow or yellowish, seldom much longer than the sepals : leaves mostly pinnati- 
Jid: pods various : annual or biennial. 
2. N. sessiliflorum Nutt. Stems erect, rather simple: leaves obtusely incised or 
toothed, obovate or oblong: flowers minute, nearly sessile: pods elongated-oblong, 
thick.—Reported as yet only from northeastern and central Texas, but probably 
much more widely distributed. 
3. N. obtusum Natt. Stems much branched and diffusely spreading: leaves pin- 
nately parted or divided, the divisions roundish and obtusely toothed or repand : 
flowers minute, short-pediceled: pods longer than the pedicels, varying from linear- 
oblong to short oval.—In wet sandy places throughout western and southern Texas. 
4. N. palustre DC. (MARSH CREss.) Stems erect, smooth to hirsute: leaves pin- 
nately cleft or parted, or the upper laciniate, the lobes oblong and cut-toothed: 
pedicels about as long as the small flowers and mostly longer than the oblong or 
ovoid pods.— Western Texas, in wet places or in shallow water. The length of the 
pods is very variable. 
5, N. tanacetifolium Hook. & Arn. Stems much branched and somewhat decum- 
bent or diffuse: leaves smooth, pinnately divided, the segments sinuate-pinnatifid or 
. toothed: flowers very small, on pedicels about one-third as long as the oblong-linear 
nearly erect pods. -Near Corpus Christi Bay (Palmer) and in northern Mexico, 
7. LESQUERELLA Watson. 
Low herbs, more or less hoary with stellate hairs or lepidote, entire 
or repandly toothed leaves, mostly yellow flowers, and turgid globose 
pods with nerveless valves and a hyaline septum nerved from apex to 
middle.x—A large southwestern genus, formerly referred to the old 
world genus Vesicaria. 
* Not canescent or scarcely so, the pubescence loosely stellate: filaments somewhat dilated 
at base. 
+ Stem-leaves auriculate : seeds margined, 
1. L. grandiflora Watson. Rather finely pubescent: lower leaves oblanceolate, 
sinuate or sinuate-pinnatifid, the upper oblong to oblong-lanceolate: petals obovate: 
filaments narrowed gradually above the base: pods glabrous, sessile, suberect on divar- 
icate pedicels: style 2 mm. long or less.—Middle Texas, from the Gulf to Red River, 
2. L. auriculata Watson, found a little east of our range, in Austin County, may 
be found further west. It is more hirsute, with spreading hairs, has narrower petals, 
filaments abruptly and broadly dilated at base, and pods slightly narrowed at base. 
+ + Leaves not auriculate : seeds marginless, 
3. L. lasiocarpa Watson. Finely pubescent: leaves coarsely toothed or pinnati- 
fid, oblanceolate to oblong: petals obovate: pods hirsute, sessile, the stout style half 
as long.—From Trinity River to northern Mexico. 
4. L. densiflora Watson. Finely pubescent and somewhat canescent: leaves en- 
tire or sparingly repand, oblanceolate: petals broadly spatulate: fruiting raceme 
often short and crowded: pods glabrous, substipitate, the very slender style as long.— 
Central Texas. 
** Canescent throughout with Jine appressed and often compact stellate pubescence or lepi- 
dote: leaves not auriculate-clasping : filaments Jiliform : seeds marginless : pods gla- 
brous (or pubescent in var, of No, 9). 
+ Pods pendent on recurved pedicels, sessile, 
5. L. purpurea Watson. Biennial or perennial, the pubescence fine, scattered, or 
more or less compact on the lower leaves: leaves oblanceolate, the lower often coarsely 
repand or subpinnatitid: flowers white or rose-colored : pods rarely ascending, 3 to 
6mm. broad; style2 mm. long or less.— Western Texas to Arizona and northern Mexico, 
23204— vol 2, No, [——~2 
