CARYOPHYLLACEAE. 135 



broad; sepals ovate, thin-margined, obscurely or rather distinctly 

 ribbed; petals obovate, slightly exceeding the calyx; capsule sub- 

 globose, somewhat exceeding the sepals; seeds about 1.5 mm. broad, 

 reniform, broadly margined, smooth or with fine radiating striae. 



Frequent in the foothill region, in open stony places. March- 

 May. 



3. A. paludicola Robinson. Perennial, glabrous and flaccid, 

 stems several, subsimple, procumbent, rooting at the lower joints, 

 leafy throughout; leaves linear-lanceolate, acute, 2-3 cm. long, 

 somewhat connate, margins slightly scarious; peduncles solitary 

 in the axils, 2-5 cm. long, spreading or recurved; sepals nerveless, 

 acutish, 3-4 mm. long; petals obovate, 6-8 mm. long. (A. palustris 

 Wats.) 



Growing in marshy ground, near Los Angeles, Davidson. 



6. SPERGULA L. Corn Spurry. 



Annual branched herbs, with subulate stipulate leaves, 

 much fascicled in the axils. Flowers white, in terminal 

 cymes. Sepals and petals 5. Stamens 5 or 10. Styles 

 3, alternate with the sepals. Capsule 5-valved, the 

 valves opposite the sepals. Seeds compressed, acutely 

 margined or winged. 



1. S. arvensis L. Slender, glabrous or sparingly pubescent, 

 branching from the base, erect or ascending, 15-45 cm. high; leaves 

 narrowly linear or subulate, 2.5-5 cm. long, clustered at the nodes, 

 appearing verticillate; stipules minute, connate; flowers 4-6 mm. 

 broad, numerous, in loose terminal cymes; pedicels slender, divaricate; 

 sepals ovate, 3-4 mm. long, slightly longer than the petals; stamens 

 10 or 5; capsule ovoid, longer than the calyx. 



Occasional about Los Angeles and Pasadena. Native of Europe. 

 March-April. 



7. TISSA Adans. 



Low annual or perennial herbs, with fleshy linear or 

 setaceous leaves, and small pink or whitish flow^ers in 

 terminal racemose, bracted or leafy cymes. Stipules 

 scarious, usually conspicuous. Sepals 5. Petals 5, fewer 

 or none, entire. Stamens 2-10. Ovary 1-celled, many- 

 ovuled; styles 3. Capsule 3-valved to the base. Seeds 

 reniform-globose or compressed, smooth, winged or 

 tuberculate. (Btcda Adans.; Spergularia Pursh.) 



Annuals with fibrous roots. 



Stems stout, somewhat fleshy; stamens 10. 1. T. marina. 

 Stems slender; stamens 2-5. 



Flowers subsessile. 2. T. tenuis. 



Flowers pedicellate. 3. T. gracilis. 



Perennial with a thick fleshy root. 4. T. macrotheca. 



