134 CARYOPHYLLACEAE. 



pedicels at length much longer than the calyx; sepals obtuse or 

 acute; i^etals exceeding the sepals, 4-6 mm. long, 2-cleft; capsule 

 usually curved upward. (C. trivale Link.) 

 Frequent in lawns. 



4. SAGINA L. 



Low tufted annual or perennial herbs, with subulate 

 leaves and small pedicelled whitish flowers. Sepals 4-5. 

 Petals of the same number, entire, emarglnate or none. 

 Stamens of the same number or twice as many or some- 

 times fewer. Styles as many as the sepals and alternate 

 with them. Capsule 4-5-valved, at length dehiscent to 

 the base, the valves opposite the sepals. 



1. S. occidentalis Wats. Very slender glabrous annual, with 

 several decumbent or ascending stems, these 5-15 cm. long; leaves 

 nearly filiform but flattened above; pedicels exceeding the leaves, 

 14-25 mm. long; flowers 5-merous, 4-5 mm. broad; capsule 3.5 mm. 

 long. 



Occasional in the Santa Monica Mountains and the Verdugo 

 Hills. 



5. ARENARIA L. 



Annual or perennial herbs, with sessile leaves and 

 terminal cymose or capitate, rarely axillary and solitary 

 white flowers. Sepals 5. Petals 5, entire or scarcely 

 emarglnate, rarely none. Stamens 10. Styles usually 

 3, rarely 2-5. Ovary 1-celled, many-ovuled. Capsule 

 globose or oblong, dehiscent at the apex by as many 

 valves or teeth as there are styles, or twice as many. 

 Seeds renlform-globose or compressed. 



Valves of the capsule 2-cleft. 1. A.fendleri. 

 Valves of the capsule entire. 



Annual. 2. A. douglasii. 



Perennial. 3. A. paludicola. 



1. A. fendleri Gray. Stems numerous from a thick perennial 

 root, glaucous, glandular-pubescent above, erect, leafy, 10-35 cm. 

 high; basal leaves gramineous, setaceous, ciliolate or smooth, 5-10 

 cm. long, somewhat pungent; cauline becoming reduced, connate 

 and sheathing at the base; inflorescence dichotomous, few-many- 

 flowered; sepals lanceolate, alternate, glandular, 4-6 mm. long; 

 petals white or pale yellow, obovate, slightly exceeding the sepals; 

 capsule 3-4 mm. long. 



Los Angeles, Nevin. 



2. A. douglasii Fenzl. Annual, glabrous or sparsely glandular- 

 pubescent and somewhat viscid; stems much branched, 5-30 cm, 

 high; leaves filiform; peduncles filiform; flowers numerous, 8-10 mm. 



