Tab. 6396. 



ERYT HR ^ A VENUSTA. 

 Native of California. 



Nat. Ord. Gextiank.k. — Tribe Chironifje. 

 Genus ErythRjEA, Linn. (Benth. ei Sook,f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 809). 



EbythrjEA venmtaj gracilis, glaberrima, caule spathamseo simplici v. parce 

 dichotonie ramoso paucifloro, foliis oblongis ovato-oblongisve basi et apice 

 rotundatis v. basi subcordatis, pedunculis calyci ascpiilongis v. breviorilms, 

 calycis profunde fissi segmentis lineari-subulatis angustissimis, corolla 

 poll, diametr. rosese, tubo calycem superante, lobis elliptico-oblongis basi 

 rlavis tubo paullo brevioribus, filamentis gracilibus antberis longioribus, 

 stigmatis lobis ellipsoideis. 



E. venusta, Gray, M88.j Watson, Hot. of California, vol. i. p. 4?!). 

 E. ehironioides, Torr. in Mc.v. Bound. Rep. 156, t. 42 Exd. 8yn. 



E. tricantba, Durrand in Pneif. R. R. Rep. vol. v. p. 11, t. &, non Griseb. 



This is the largest flowered of the North American Ery- 

 thrgeas, which are numerous, especially in the Western 

 States, from Mexico to Oregon, and in the Rocky Mountains, 

 forming small annual herbs with pretty star-like usually pink 

 or rosy flowers. Watson states that E. venusta is common in 

 California, through all the Southern part of the State, and 

 along the Sierra Nevada to Sierra county, ascending to 4000 

 feet elevation. The position of the stigma in the expanded 

 flower is very curious, the exserted portion of the slender 

 Btyle, which much exceeds the stamens in length, being turned 

 down at right angles, so as to assume a horizontal position, 

 and to be removed entirely away from the anthers. 



The specimen here figured flowered at Kew in August last, 

 and was raised from seeds collected by Dr. Gray and myself 

 in California in 1877. 



Descr. A slender erect glabrous annual, six to ten inches 

 high. Stem 4-angled, simple or cymosely branched above, 

 few-flowered. Leaves in scattered pairs, sessile, half to one 



NOVEMBKB 1ST, 1878. 



