220 Leflingia Squarrosa. 
ana, which, if at all correctly delineated, varies from ours much 
more than ours from those of Europe, as shown in Gaertn. Sem. et 
Fruct, and in Cav. Icones. Gray, however, unhesitatingly reduces 
it to L. sguarrosa, and even takes a Texan specimen to figure in 
his ‘‘ Genera’’ as Nuttall’s species. In DC. Prodromus only two 
species are mentioned, L. Aispanica and L. pentandra, with a doubt 
as to their being different species. Bentham & Hooker, in Genera 
Plantarum, express the same doubt. ‘‘ Species descripte 5, inter 
se valde affines et forte omnes unius varietates, in regione Mediter- 
ranea, in Asia centrali, v. in America boreali crescentes.”’ 
Since that time another species has been described from Tehachapi 
in this State (Z. pustl/a* Curran). It represents the other extreme 
from ZL. Zexana Hook., and is consequently much nearer L. f/is- 
panica. Although it is described as having five stamens, I have 
failed to find in the numerous flowers examined (the original speci- 
mens) more than three in any case. It is, however, very easy to be 
misled in these minute flowers covered with a viscous pubescence. 
The petals or staminodia (?) are represented by small scales, at- 
tached in our triandrous forms to the base of the three inner sepals; 
they are very variable in the degree of development. 
No one appears to have observed that the cotyledons are accum- 
bent in at least the Californian forms, including the one described 
as L. pusilla. The figure in Gray’s Genera (which, as before men- 
tioned, was drawn from a Texan specimen) presents them as incum- _ 
bent. Geertner states the same thing, but his figure makes his . 
statement doubtful. 
_The seeds are somewhat triangular in shape, and rather handsome 
objects on account of the difference in color of the cotyledons and 
the lighter albumen embraced by them. The groove between the 
cotyledons is plainly apparent through the testa. There are in the 
herbarium of the California Academy of Sciences no specimens 
from either Texas or Europe, but if, on investigation, it shall be found 
that the cotyledons of Z. Hispanica are accumbent, it will be difficult 
to escape the conviction that the Mediterranean region, already 
_ known to be so generous to us in the matter of weeds, roan credit 
ee ee Cin ei ee eee 
eee Cal. Acad. i, ee 
