numerous, half-anatropous, in a subglobose placenta; capsule subglobose, 5-valved 

 at the thickened apex; seeds numerous. 



About 10 species that are widely distributed, especially in the Southern 

 Hemisphere. 



1. Racemes long-peduncled; pedicels bractless; corolla lobes usually much shorter 

 than tube, the staminodia wanting (2) 



1. Racemes sessile or nearly so; pedicels with small bract; corolla lobes longer 



than tube, with staminodia in the sinuses between the lobes (3) 



2(1). Peduncles and racemes glabrous; corolla 6-9 mm. broad, the lobes 

 typically suborbicular 1. S. ebracteatus. 



2. Peduncles and racemes glandular-pilose; corolla 4-6 mm. broad, the lobes 



typically cuneate-obovate 2. S. cuneatus. 



3(1). Stems erect or ascending, bearing several or numerous leaves; basal leaves 

 usually oval to elliptic; inflorescences several- to many-flowered; 

 bract borne near the middle of the pedicel; calyx lobes mostly 

 shorter than the tube 3. S. parviflorus. 



3. Stems mostly procumbent, stolonlike, bearing few leaves; basal leaves obovate 



to spatulate; inflorescence few-flowered; bract borne near the base 



of the pedicel; calyx lobes equal to or longer than the tube 



4. S. vagans. 



1. Samolus ebracteatus H.B.K. Figs. 607 and 608. 



Plant glabrous, bright-green or glaucous, to 55 cm. tall, the usually sparingly 

 branched stems solitary or tufted and erect or ascending; leaves spatulate to obovate, 

 sessile or with winged petioles, decurrent, rounded to obtuse and sometimes apicu- 

 late at apex, to 1 dm. long and 35 mm. wide, usually much smaller; racemes with 

 stoutish erect straight peduncles that usually exceed the stems, to 2 dm. long; 

 pedicels ascending, to 5 cm. long, usually much shorter; calyx lobes triangular- 

 ovate to triangular-lanceolate, acute, equal to or up to about twice as long as the 

 tube; corolla pink or whitish, 6-9 mm. broad; corolla lobes suborbicular, rounded 

 and often noticeably erose or retuse at apex, with a glandular tuft at base, shorter 

 than the tube; stigma subentire to notched; capsules 3-4 mm. in diameter. 



In salt marshes and flats, in saline and brackish soil, and on dunes and in sandy 

 soil on the coast of Tex. and in w. Okla. (Waterfall) and Nev. (Clarke Co.). pos- 

 sibly in N. M. and Ariz., Apr. -Oct.; from Fla. to Tex., Nev. and Mex.; also W.I. 



2. Samolus cuneatus Small. 



Plant deep-green, to 6 dm. tall, usually much smaller, the usually branched stems 

 more or less tufted and ascending or reclining; leaves obovate to oblanceolate or 

 broadly spatulate, the bases decurrent as broad wings, rounded and usually minutely 

 mucronate at apex, to 15 cm. long and 6 cm. wide; racemes with stoutish straight 

 peduncles longer than the stems, both more or less glandular-pilose; pedicels 

 slender, spreading or ascending, to 3 cm. long; calyx lobes triangular, acute, some- 

 what roughened in appearance and often purple-tinged, longer than or about as 

 long as the tube; corolla white, 4-6 mm. broad; corolla lobes broadly cuneate to 

 cuneate-obovate, somewhat coarsely toothed at the rounded to subtruncate apex; 

 capsules 3-4 mm. in diameter. S. ebracteatus subsp. cuneatus (Small) Knuth. 



On wet limestone and in marsh and seepage areas or in moist soil along streams 

 and rivers from cen. to Trans-Pecos Tex., s. to the Tex. Rio Grande Plains, n. to 

 n. Okla. (Alfalfa Co.), the Tex. Panhandle (Collingsworth Co.) and w. to N. M. 

 (Chaves, Dona Ana and Eddy cos.), Mar.-Oct.; also n. Mex. 



The characteristics used to separate this plant from 5. ebracteatus are not too 

 strong. When revisionary work is undertaken it is quite possible that they will be 

 considered to be conspecific. 



1279 



