PRIMULACEAE. 275 



few-flowered compact racemes; bracts stout, pedicels lanceolate; 

 calyx-lobes and ovary tomentose; fruit globose, 6-8 mm. in diameter, 

 dark brown, puberulent or smooth; nutlets united into a round solid, 

 nearly smooth stone. 



Frequent in the foothills of western San Diego County. Re- 

 ported from Catalina Island. 



Family 80. PRIMULACEAE. Primrose Family. 



Herbs with alternate opposite or basal leaves and per- 

 fect regular flowers in terminal or axillary racemes, spikes, 

 umbels or corymbs, or solitary in the axils. Calyx free 

 from the ovary, usually 5-parted; persistent or rarely 

 deciduous. Corolla sympetalous, usually 5-cleft, the 

 lobes (in ours) spreading or reflexed. Stamens as many 

 as the corolla-lobes and opposite them, inserted on the 

 tube or at the base of the ovary; anthers introrse, at- 

 tached by their backs to the filaments, 2-celled, longi- 

 tudinally dehiscent. Ovary superior, 1 -celled; placenta 

 central, free; style 1; stigma simple, capitate. Capsule 

 2-6-valved; valves erect, entire or 2-cleft. vSeeds few or 

 many; endosperm present. 



Sterile filaments alternate with the corolla-lobes. 1. Samolus. 

 Sterile filaments wanting. 



Flowers axillary on leafy stems. 2. Anagallis. 



Flowers in umbels at the ends of scapes. 3. Dodecatheon. 



1. SAMOLUS L. Brookweed. 



Low glabrous herbs with alternate entire leaves and 

 small white flowers in loose racemes. Calyx 5-cleft, its 

 base coherent with the lower part of the ovary. Corolla 

 campanulate, 5-cleft, with a slender tooth borne at each 

 sinus. Stamens 5, short and included, inserted on the 

 tube of the corolla. Capsule globular, 5-valved at the 

 summit, many-seeded. 



1. S. floribundus H. B. K. Erect or ascending, branched at 

 least at the base, 15-45 cm. high; leaves membranous, 25-75 mm. 

 long, obovate, obtuse at the apex, narrowed at the base into peti- 

 oles, the basal often rosulate; flowers small, less than 2 mm. broad, 

 usually numerous, in loose elongated panicled racemes; pedicels 

 filiform, spreading, bracteolate near the middle; calyx-lobes acute, 



