1923] Ottley: A Revision of the Calif ornian Species of Lotus 217 



Var. brevivexillus Ottley n. nom. (pi. 73, figs. 2-9). Small and 

 prostrate ; flowers 3 to 5 mm. long ; keel longer than the banner or 

 wings ; legumes 1 to 2 cm. long, noticeably constricted between the 

 seeds. A diminutive form of L. salsuginosus. The differences in 

 the relative lengths of the petals of the two, especially as the length 

 of the banner in the variety is not constant, are deemed of insufficient 

 value to justify the retention of Greene's species L. humilis. 



Southeastern California east into Arizona and south into Lower 

 California and Mexico. Also on the islands west of Lower California. 

 Distribution Map 4. March-May. 



Localities. — Hanaupah Canon, Panamint Mountains, Jepson 

 7061a ; Johnson Canon, Panamint Mountains, Coville and Funston 

 564 ; Colorado Desert, T. S. Brandegee, April, 1905 ; semi-arid places, 

 Colorado Desert, Wright 1775 (in part) ; Coyote Canon, western 

 border of Colorado Desert, Hall 2848; Del Mar, T. 8. Brandegee, 

 March 28, 1894; Vallecito, San Diego County, Jepson 8545. Lower 

 California : San Telmo, T. S. Brandegee, May 30, 1893 ; Patrocinia, 

 T. S. Brandegee, April 17, 1889 ; Lagoon Head, Palmer 111 ; Santa 

 Maria, T. S. Brandegee; Cedros Island, Anthony 311 ; Cedros Island, 

 T. S. Brandegee, April 2, 1897 ; San Benito Island, T. S. Brandegee, 

 March 28, 1897. Arizona: Lowell, W. F. Parish 44; Lowell, W. F. 

 Parish, May, 1884; Little Meadow^, Stephens, June 22, 1902; Yucca, 

 Jones, May 15, 1884. Mexico : Sonora, Pringle, March 29, 1884. 



References. — Lotus salsuginosus Greene, Pitt., vol. 2, 1890, p. 

 140. Hosackia maritima Nutt. in T. and G., Fl., vol. 1, 1838, p. 326, 

 type loc, Santa Barbara. Anisolotus maritimus Heller, Muhl., vol. 8, 

 1912, p. 48. Var. brevivexillus Ottley. L. humilis Greene, Pitt., vol, 

 2, 1890, p. 140, type loc, San Bartolome Bay, Lower California. Pond. 

 Hosackia maritima Nutt., Greene, loc. cit., vol. 1, 1889, p. 288. 



14. L. micranthus Benth. (pi. 73, figs. 10-16). Diffuse sleiider 

 annuals; nearly glabrous, leaflets often glaucous; leaves 8 to 16 mm. 

 long ; leaflets, 3 to 5, oblong, oblanceolate, or elliptical, obtuse ; flowers 

 solitary, 4 to 5 mm. long ; peduncles shorter or longer than the leaves ; 

 bract of 3 (1 or 2) leaflets; calyx turbinate-campanulate, with subulate 

 teeth nearly as long as the tube or much shorter ; petal claws exserted 

 beyond the tube, banner blade short-oblong to nearly orbicular, the 

 wings slightly longer than the acute keel ; legumes 1.5 to 2 cm. long, 

 1 to slightly more than 2 mm. wide, the short beak curved or straight, 

 constricted between the seeds ; seeds 5 to 9, suborbicular to short- 

 oblong, less than 2 mm. long. 



Fairly common in grassy places in the Sonoran, both in the western 

 part of the state and eastward into the Sierra region. Distribution 

 Map 4. January-August. Plants are frequently found in which the 

 legumes are sinuate on the margins and larger than in the type, with 

 seeds 2 mm. long. 



Localities. — Washington : Near Montesano, Chehalis County, 

 Heller and Heller 3911. Western Oregon, Howell, June, 1881. 

 California : Sissons, K. Brandegee, July, 1887 ; sand dunes at mouth 

 of Little River, Humboldt County, Tracy 4795 ; Humboldt Bay, 

 Chandler 1136 ; Alton, Humboldt County, Tracy 3647 ; opposite Buck 

 Mountain, Tracy 4111 ; Fort Seward Ranch Ridge, Humboldt County, 



