SAXIFRAGE FAMILY 121 



7. PARNASSJA. Grass-of-Parnassus. 

 1. P. californica Greene. Leaves basal, glabrous, round- 

 ovate to elliptic, entire, the blade % to 2 in. long. Flowers 

 solitary, terminating stalks y 2 to 2 ft. high and naked save for 

 one bract. Petals 5, roundish, Yz in. long, white, green-veined. 

 Stamens 5, and in addition 5 clusters of short gland-tipped 

 bristles (aborted filaments). — Rare in our district, being re- 

 ported only from "Ostranda's," but it also grows near Mono 

 Lake. 



8. PHILADELPHIA. Syringa. 



1. P. lewisii var. californicus Gray. Leaves opposite, 

 petioled, the blade \ x / 2 to 3 in. long and 24 to 2 in. wide, ovate, 

 acute, entire or sparsely toothed. Flowers in terminal pani- 

 cles. Calyx top-shaped, adherent to the ovary. Petals 4, 

 broad and obtuse, y 2 in. long. Stamens 20 to 40. Fruit a 

 dry capsule. 



During the earl}'- summer, while covered with white, fra- 

 grant bloom, this shrub, which commonly grows to a height 

 of 4 to 12 ft., is one of the most pleasing sights in our foothill 

 district. It is plentiful in the Merced and other canons, 

 ranging up to 4000 ft. alt. In Yosemite Valley, it may be 

 seen along the south road just above the village and again 

 near Bridal Veil Falls, where it forms fragrant, flowery 

 thickets in June and July. 



9. RIBES. Currant. Gooseberry. 

 Shrubs. Leaves alternate, petioled, irregularly orbicular in 

 outline, palmately lobed. Flowers in short racemes or soli- 

 tary. Calyx-lobes, petals, and stamens 5 each. Calyx-tube 

 adnate to the ovary and projecting beyond it. Styles 2. Fruit 

 a smooth or prickly berry. 



Plant without spines or prickles. 



Flowers white or cream-color, 3 / i in. long 1. R. cereum. 



Flowers pink, Y% in. long 3. R. nevadense. 



Flowers greenish or pinkish, $i in. long 2. R. viscosissimum. 



Plant with spiny stems. 



Flowers saucer-shaped above the ovary 4. R. montigenum. 



Flowers tubular or cylindric. (Genus Grossularia, 

 of some.) 



Ovary bristly; berry spiny 5. R. roezli. 



Ovary and berry nearly smooth 6. R. lasianthum. 



1. R. cereum Dougl. Leaves ]/ 2 to 1% in. across, gland- 

 ular and soft-pubescent, or glabrous above, nearly orbicular, 

 obscurely lobed, the margin finely toothed or crenate. Flow- 



