SCHEUCHZERIACEAE. 15 



3-6 oblong or ovoid carpels, when ripe separating from 

 the base upward from a persistent central axis, dehiscing 

 by a ventral suture. 



Carpels 6; fruit oblong or ovoid. 1. T. maritima. 



Carpels 3; fruit globose. 2. T. striata. 



1. T. maritima L. Perennial plants with a long rootstock and 

 a thick caudex, which is usually covered with the sheaths of old 

 leaves; spathes stout, 2-4 dm. high, commonly solitary; leaves much 

 shorter than the scapes, tapering to a long acute or obtuse point, 

 4-6 mm. wide; racemes 4-10 cm. long; pedicels decurrent, 2-5 mm. 

 long; perianth segments 6, the 3 inner smaller, ovate, greenish- 

 white; stamens 6; ovaries 6, united, each 1-celled, 1-ovuled; carpels 

 3-angled, with the dorsal angles making a broad groove on the 

 back, 5-6 mm. long; stigmas persistent and recurved. 



Salt marshes along the coast. 



2. T. striata R. & P. Perennial with upright or oblique root- 

 stock; scapes slender, more or less angled, about 2 dm. high; leaves 

 nearly as long as the scapes, fleshy, 2 mm. wide; flowers yellowish 

 green; pedicels 2 mm. long or less, not elongating in fruit; perianth 

 segments 3; stamens and carpels 3; fruit globose or obovoid, appear- 

 ing 3-winged when dry; carpels rounded and 3-ribbed dorsally. 



Salt marshes along the coast. Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara; not 

 reported within our range but to be looked for. 



2. LILAEA H. B. K. 



Subaquatic stemless annuals, with simple slender 

 scapes and radical leaves, which are slightly dilated at 

 base. Flowers polygamous, the one sort solitary, pistil- 

 late and disposed among the leaves at the base, with 

 long thread-like styles; the other monoecious, in dense 

 spikes at the apex of slender scapes. Staminate flowers 

 imbricated in narrow oblong spikes; anthers nearly ses- 

 sile in the axis of a white linear petaloid bract. Pistil- 

 late flowers imbricated in conical crowded spikes, bract- 

 less, consisting of a 1-celled, 1-ovuled ovary; stigma 

 capitate. Fruit ovoid, costate, indehiscent. 



1. L. subulata H. B. K. Leaves cylindric, numerous, 12-20 cm. 

 long, 3-5 mm. in diameter, tapering to a point at the apex; scapes 

 8-16 cm. high, shorter than the leaves, terete; styles of the solitary 

 flowers often 12 cm. long and tipped with a capitate stigma; fruit 

 6 mm. long. 



Occasional about San Bernardino, Parish. Frequent about San 

 Diego and in the Cuyamaca Mountains; ranging from California to 

 Chili. 



