408 ALLIONIACEAE 



4-lobed. Stamens 4, exserted : filaments very slender. Ovary 1-celled : style filiform : 

 stigma capitate. Fruit leathery, with a firm margin-like wing, smooth on one side, with 

 two rows of tubercles on the other. Seed filling the pericarp to which its testa adheres. 

 Endosperm mealy. 



1. Wedelia incamita L. Foliage viscid -pubescent. Stem more or less difliisely 



branched at the base, the })ranches prostrate, 1-5 dm. long, forking : leaf-blades thickish, 



ovate to oblong, 1-3 cm. long, obtuse or acute, undulate ; petioles slender, those on the 



lower part of the plant often longer than the blades, those above shorter : bracts of the 



involucre oval or orbicular, 4-6 mm. long, concave, reticulated, ciliate : calyx rose to white, 



5-6 mm. long ; lobes emarginate : stamens shorter than the calyx : fruit 3-4 mm. long. 



In valleys, Texas to Arizona and Mexico. Also through tropical America to South America. 

 Spring to fall! 



4. NYCTAGINIA Cho'is. 



Annual depressed glandular-hirsute herbs, with forking stems. Leaves opposite : 

 blades shallowly toothed, more or less triangular in outline, petioled. Flowers pink or red, 

 many in the many-bracted involucre, which is not accrescent. Calyx slender : tube elon- 

 gated, constricted above the ovary : limb spreading, 5-lobcd, deciduous. Stamens 5, unequal 

 in length : filaments very slender, pubescent, dilated and united below. Style very slender : 

 stigma capitate. Fruit leathery, many-ribbed, top-shaped. Seed filling the pericarp to 

 which it adheres. Endosperm mealy. 



1. Nyctaginia capitata Chois. Foliage viscid-pubescent. Stem erect or decumbent, 

 3-7 dm. long, simple or branched at the base, forking above : leaf-blades thick, ovate to 

 triangular, usually acuminate, undulate, rciinided, truncate or subcordate at the base, 

 bracts of the involucre 8-12, linear-lanceolate, 10-20 mm. long, acuminate: fiowers 8 15 

 in an involucre : calyx red, villous with glandular hairs without, 2.5-3 cm. long : fruit 

 turbinate, 5-6 mm. long, many-ribbed. 



In dry soil, Texas and New Mexico to Mexico. Spring to fall. 



5. ABRONIA Juss. 



Annual or jierennial viscid-pubescent herbs, with forking stems. Leaves opposite : 

 blades unequal, thick, entire, petioled. Flowers usually numerous, in many-bracted in- 

 volucres. Involucres not accrescent. Calyx colored : tube elongated, constricted above 

 the ovary : limb spreading, 5-lobed, deciduous. Stamens 3-5, unequal in length : fila- 

 ments very slender. Style filiform : stigma elongated. Fruit leathery, ribbed or winged. 

 Seed filling the pericarp to which it adheres. Endosperm mealy. 



Annual : fruit 2-2..5 cm. broad, with 2-4 suborbicular or oval wines. 1. A. cycloptcra. 



Perennial : fruit .5-6 mm. broad, obpyramidal, with 4 wing-like ridges. 2. A.fragrans. 



1. Abronia cycldptera A. Gray. Annual, stoutish, glabrous below, viscid-pubescent 

 above. Stem erect or ascending, 2-6 dm. long, sparingly branched : leaf-blades oblong, 

 oval or ovate, obtuse or acutish at the apex, undulate, nninded or acutish at the base ; 

 petioles as long as the blades or shorter : bracts of the involucre lanceolate or ovate-lanceo- 

 late, acute : flowers crowded in a head : calyx bright pink, about 2 cm. long ; tube gradually 

 enlarged upward : fruit conspicuous, 2-2.5 cm. broad, the 2-4 thin membranous wings 

 sharply nerved, completely surrounding the achene, suborbicular to oval in outline. 



In dry places, Texas to New Mexico. Summer. 



2. Abronia fragrans Nutt. Perennial, viscid-pubescent. Stem erect or decumbent, 

 3-8 dm. long, more or less branched : leaf-blades oblong, oval or ovate, 5-10 cm. long, 

 rounded at both ends or rarely acute ; petioles as long as the blades or shorter : bracts of 

 the involucre membranous, white, ovate to obovate : flowers fragrant, nocturnal, numer- 

 ous in each involucre : calyx white, 1-2 cm. long ; tube gradually enlarged upward : fruit 

 nearly 1 cm. long, minutely pubescent, resembling the mtiture calyx of Fhysatis but in- 

 verted, 5-winged, the wings not prolonged over the top, coarsely wrinkled. 



In dry soil, Montana to Nebraska, Te.xas and Mexico. Summer. 



6. ACLEISANTHES A. Gray. 



Perennial pubescent herbs or shrubby plants, with forking stems. Leaves opposite, 

 thick : blades vuiequal, entire, petioled. Flowers often solitary, subtended by minute 

 bracts, axillary or terminal. Calyx white : tube elongated, constricted above the ovary : 



