20 PAPAVERACE^. (POPPY FAMILY.) 



2. VANCOUVERIA, Morren & Decaisne. 



Sepals and petals 6 each, reflexed, with 6 to 9 bractlets. Stamens 6. Carpel 1 ; thft 

 stigma cup-shaped. A slender perennial herb, with radical 2-3-temately compound 

 leaves, and the open paniculate raceme upon a naked scape. 



V. hexandra, Morr. & Dec. The long petioled leaves rising like the fronds of a 

 fern, leaflets 1 to 2 inches broad, petiolulate, obtusely 3-lobed, the margin thickened; 

 the minute flowers on a scape exceeding the leaves. 



Ordee 3. NYMPH-ffiACEiE. 



Aquatic perennial herbs, with peltate or deeply cordate leaves; solitary axillary perfect 

 flowers on long peduncles. Stamens numerous. 



Water-Shield. [Bi^asenia peltata, Vnrsh..) May be found in ponds. Its elliptical, pel- 

 tate, floating leaves (green above and brownish-red beneath) and its jelly-coated stems 

 characterize it quite well enough. 



The Yellow Pond-Lily {Nuphar polysepalum, Engl. ) is more common. 



The Order Sarraceniacece is represented by the remarkable Darlingtonia Californicay 

 or California Pitcher Plant, which grows in cold swamps in the northern part of the 

 State, from Mount Shasta to near the coast. 



Franlcenia gy-andifolia grows in saline soils., and may be known by its opposite sessile, 

 obovate, or linear oblanceolate, small leaves, with re volute margins; and by its small, 

 pink flowers. It may be distinguished from a Silene, which at first it seems to be, by its 

 fewer (4 to 7) stamens and sessile flowers. 



The Order Frankeniace^ should come next to Caryophyllacece. Fremontia Califor- 

 nica, belonging to the Order Sterculiaceae, which is allied to the Malvaceae, is most 

 conveniently described here also. It is a small tree, bearing conspicuous yellow flowers 

 in the axils of usually broadly cordate, lobed leaves. The apetalous flowers are some- 

 times 2 or 3 inches across. 



The Order Capparidaceae is represented in Santa Barbara County, and southward, by 

 Isomeris arhorea, a low shrub, bearing bracteate racemes of yellow flowers, the pistils 

 conspicuous on accoimt of their long stipes. The flowers of this plant are apparently 

 like those of the Cruciferae, and its proper place is next tc that order. Capers are ob- 

 tained from a cultivated plant of this order. 



The Order Styracaceas is represented by Styrax Cali/orn'ca, a pretty shrub, bearing 

 clusters of nearly rotate white flowers, in which the gamopel:\lous corolla is cut down to 

 the short tube which is adnate to the tube formed by the stsT-iens: Calyx truncate 



