140 RANUNCULACEAE. 



nearly so, about 10 mm. long; follicles about 15 mm. long, grayish 

 puberulent. 



Playa del Rey. March-May. 



3. D. decorum F. & M. Glabrous throughout or pedicels slightly 

 puberulent; stem lax, 2-5 dm. high; lowest leaves reniform or orbicu- 

 lar in outline, 3-5-lobed or 3-5-parted, the divisions round-ovate 

 to cuneate, entire or slightly 2-5-lobed; upper leaves with narrow 

 divisions; raceme often paniculate, sparsely flowered; pedicels 

 slender, spreading; sepals oval, 10-15 mm. long, equaling the spur, 

 blue; follicles 10-12 mm. long, erect or slightly spreading. 



Frequent in the San Gabriel Mountains, apparently less so in the 

 Santa Monica Mountains and foothills about Los Angeles. 



3a. D. decorum patens (Benth.) Gray. More slender than the 

 type, sometimes obscurely and sparsely pubescent; stems erect; 

 raceme closer; pedicels ascending in fruit; sepals 8-10 mm. long. 



Frequent in the foothills of all our mountains. 



5. D. cardinale Hook. Stems about 1 m. high, branching above; 

 leaves deeply parted into narrow divisions, with long linear or 

 lanceolate lobes; inflorescence racemose or paniculate, many-flow- 

 ered; sepals obovate, 10-15 mm. long, half as long as the narrow 

 spur, deep red; petals usually somewhat yellowish. 



Frequent in the foothills, mostly below 3500 feet altitude. June- 

 July. 



4. CLEMATIS. Virgin's Bower. 



Ours woody climbers with opposite mostly pinnately 

 divided leaves. Sepals usually 4, petaloid. Petals 

 none. Stamens numerous. Pistils many, becoming 

 achenes with long plumose styles. 



Ovaries and achenes pubescent. 



Leaves 5-7-foliolate. 1. C. ligusticifolia. 



Leaves 3-foliolate. 2. C. lasiantha. 



Ovaries and achenes glabrous. 3. C. pauciflora. 



1. C. ligusticifolia Nutt. Somewhat pubescent or nearly gla- 

 brous; leaves pinnately 5-7-foliolate, or the lowest pair of leaflets 

 again 3-foliolate, ovate, cordate or obtuse at base, acute or acuminate, 

 mostly incised or rather sharply toothed; inflorescence paniculate, 

 many-flowered; flowers 2-4 cm. broad, cream-colored; achenes 

 densely silky-pubescent. 



Common in canyons in all our mountains and occasionally 

 extending into the valleys along streams. May-July. 



2. C. lasiantha Nutt. Tomentose-pubescent; leaves 3-foliolate, 

 leaflets 2.5-5 cm. long, mostly broadly ovate, somewhat 3-lobed 

 and coarsely toothed, the teeth rounded; flowers polygamous, 

 solitary or 3-5 on bibracteolate peduncles, 3-6 cm. broad; sepals 

 broadly oblong, cream-colored; achenes pubescent. 



Common in the chaparral belt, clambering over shrubs. April- 

 May. 



