NYCTAGINEiE. 159 



9. LASTARKI.KA, lit'nn/. A small diffuse rif^id fraf?ile annual with 

 the aspect of ('horizanllie proper. Involucre 0. Perianth involucre-like, 

 coriaceous, tubular, 5 — 6-cleft to the middle ; the narrow teeth rigid, 

 awned, recurved and uncinate. Stamens 3, inserted on the throat ; 

 filaments very short, with small membranous appendages intervening at 

 their insertion. 



1. L. t'hilensis, Kemy, in (lay, Fl. Chil. v. 289. t. 58 (1849j. (Jhorl- 

 zanlhe Laslarrura, Parry, Proc. Uavenp. Acad. v. 47 & 63 (1884). Hirsute; 

 the assurgent or ascending branches 2—6 in. long : lowest leaves linear, 

 obtuse, hispid-ciliate ; cauline in whorls of 4 or 5, unequal : perianth 

 nearly concealed by the whorled bracts ; tube triquetrous ; teeth or 

 .segments 5, 3 long and 2 short : anthers small, orbicular : achene tri- 

 quetrous-oblong. From the plains of the San Joaquin, near Antioch, 

 southward. 



10. PTEKOSTECilA, Flsrln^r d- Meyer. Our species diffusely dichoto- 

 mous slender and flaccid (or in age somewhat wiry) annual with opposite, 

 petiolate, exstipulate 2-lol)ed leaves, and small foliaceous bracts. Invo- 

 lucres each of a single bract shorter than the solitary sessile flower, 

 rounded and 2-lobed, in age larger, reticulated, loosely enfolding the 

 achene, and gibbously 2-saccate on the back. Perianth 5- or 6-parted ; 

 segments equal, oblong-lanceolate. Stamens as many or fewer, inserted 

 at the base of the segments. Achene triquetrous. 



1. P. dryjiiarioides, F. & M. Ind. Sem. Petr. ii. 48 (1835). Glabrous 

 or hirsute-pubescent : leaves obovate, obcordate or reniform-bifid, often 

 with the lobes again 2-lobed, the lowest petiolate, the upper sessile, }4^—% 

 in. long : fl. minute : fructiferous involucre I'^.i lines long, closely 

 enfolding the minute light brown achene. — Common on rocky hills, and 

 on sandy banks along the seashore ; very variable in pubescence, form 

 of leaves, and, according to Nuttall, emljracing several species. 



OiiDER XXIII. NYCTAGINE/E. 



A. L. de Jussieu, in Annales du Museum, ii. 269 (1803). 

 Herbs or suffrutescent plants (ours mostly coarse and fleshy seaside 

 herbs) with tumid joints, opposite exstipulate entire leaves and show.y 

 perfect flowers in axillary ]jedunculate and involucrate clusters. Invo- 

 lucre calyx-like, closely subtending the flower-cluster. Perianth corolla- 

 like, campanulate, salverform or tubular, the persistent base indurated 

 and constricted over the 1-celled 1-seeded free ovary. Stamens few, 

 hypogynous ; filaments slender : anthers small and rounded. Pistil 1, 

 simple. Seed erect ; embryo encircling a copious mealy albumen. — A 

 small family, containing a number of highly ornamental and a few 

 medicinal plants ; as closely allied to Polygone* as to any other family, 

 though of verv different floral structure. 



