NYCTAGINE.E. 161 



variable in number and size, but usually 5 on each side, either broad or 

 narrow, sometimes gland- tipped. — Plant of very wide dissemination in 

 Mexico and South America, common in southern California, occurring 

 as far northward as Monterey. 



3. ABKOXIA, Jussieu. Decumbent or prostrate viscid-pubescent 

 and rather succulent herbs with opposite and somewhat unequal leaves. 

 Flowers in umbel-like heads on rather long axillary peduncles. Invo- 

 lucre of 5—15 distinct or slightly united somewhat scarioxis bracts 

 enfolding the base of the heads. Perianth salverform ; tube elongated ; 

 limb of 5 or 4 emarginate or obcordate lobes. Stamens mostly 5, adnate 

 to the tube and not exserted. Stigma liuear-clavate. Fruit coriaceous, 

 3 — 5-winged, enclosing a smooth and cylindric achene. Embryo with 

 but one cotyledon. 



* Wings coriaceous, lalcral, not encircling Ike fruit. 

 -t— Wings thill, hnt solid; body of fruit rigid or ligneous. 



1. A. uiiibellata, Lam. 111. i. 469. t. 105 (1791) ; Hook. Exot. Fl. iii. 

 t. 194. Perennial, prostrate, rather slender, viscid-puberulent, the stems 

 1 — 3 ft. long : leaves almost glabrous, ovate to narrowly oblong, 1 — 1}^' 

 in. long, narrowed to a slender petiole, obtuse, the margin often some- 

 what sinuate : peduncles 2-6 in. long : bracts of the involucre narrowly 

 lanceolate, ]^ in. long ; head 10— 15-flowered : perianth rose-purple, 

 6—8 lines long ; lobes emarginate : fr. 4—5 lines long, nearly glabrous, 

 the l.)ody oblong, attenuate at each end ; wings thin, nearly as long, 

 broadest and often truncate above, narrowing toward the base : achene 

 1% lines long. — Sandy places along the seaboard everywhere. June— Oct. 



2. A. inaritiina, Nutt. in Wats. Bot. Calif, ii. 4 (1880). Perennial, 

 prostrate or assurgent, very stout and succulent, somewhat pubescent, 

 very viscid : leaves broadly ovate to oblong, cuneate or rounded at base, 

 1 in. long, on short stout petioles : peduncles little exceeding the leaves : 

 bracts ovate-oblong : fl. deep purple, % in- long': fr. viscid-pubescent, 

 the wings somewhat coriaceous.- Along beaches from near Santa 

 Barbara southward. June — Oct. 



-H- -f- Wings lliicl-er, tlie central cavity of the fruit extending thnmgh them. 



3. A. latifolia, Esch. Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. x. 281 (1826j : A. aie- 

 naria, Menzies, in Hook. Exot. Fl. iii. t. 193 (1827). Perennial, stout and 

 succulent, very viscid, the stems prostrate, 1—2 ft. long : leaves broadly 

 ovate or reniform, Jt'— 1^ ^^- long, obtuse : peduncles usually exceeding 

 the leaves : bracts 5, rounded to ovate or oblong, 2—4 lines long : fl. 

 numerous, 5 or 6 lines long, bright yellow, very fragrant, the lobes 

 emarginate : fr. 4—6 lines long, coriaceous, acute at each end ; wings 

 usually narrow.— Plentiful along the seashore from Monterey northward. 



* * Wings membranous, orbicular, encircling the fruit. 



