I38 PEA FAMILY 



mosus but the pubescence sparse and appressed, the flowers 

 smaller and less brightly colored, tawny to dull blue, the keel 

 much exposed. — Scattered throughout the lower part of the 

 Yellow Pine Belt, in a mostly blue-flowered form. Flowers 

 sometimes nearly as large as in L. formosus, which may be 

 only a variety of this. In the Botany of California, L. parvi- 

 florus is reported from the Yosemite, but the specimens the 

 authors had in mind were apparently L. albicaulis. 



9. L. confertus Kell. Stems erect, 6 to 15 in. high, each 

 ending in a naked-peduncled raceme. Leaflets 5 to 8, nar- 

 rowly oblanceolate, acute, ^4 to V/2 in. long, gray with loose 

 spreading hairs. Flowers crowded, about Y% in. long, blue or 

 pinkish, the banner oblong and keel hairy along the upper 

 edge. 



Under this species we are obliged to retain a large number 

 of forms until the group is more thoroughly worked out by 

 specialists. Genuine L. confertus is an erect plant with 'con- 

 spicuous bracts and is common in many of our drier meadows. 

 A smaller plant of the dry hillsides, with leaves only % to Y\ 

 in. long, has passed as L. minimus, which is perhaps a differ- 

 ent species of Oregon and northward. 



10. L. danaus Gray. An Alpine dwarf, the stems often 

 prostrate, 1 to 4 in. high. Leaflets 4 to 6, acute, % to ^2 in. 

 long, gray-hairy. Flowers few, crowded, about %. in. long, 

 pale pink or nearly white, the keel tipped with purple and 

 hairy along its upper edge. — Only above or near timber-line, 

 the original specimens from Mt. Dana at about 12,500 ft. alt. 



11. L. breweri Gray. Stems woody, spreading, 9 in. or 

 less long, very leafy. Leaflets 6 to 10, obovate, obtuse, % to 

 }£ in. long, soft and nearly white with appressed silky hairs. 

 Flowers crowded, % in. long, blue, the banner roundish, the 

 keel hairy along upper edge. 



This plant grows in gray, leafy mats studded with the com- 

 pact, blue, flower-clusters which are only 2 in. or less long. 

 It inhabits gravelly ridges and slopes above 5000 ft. alt., being 

 very common on El Capitan, Sentinel Dome, and similar sum- 

 mits. The original specimens came from the "Yosemite trail, 

 alt. 6000 ft." 



12. L. meionanthus Gray. Stems erect, from a woody 

 root, 1 to 2 ft. high, very leafy up to the flowers. Leaflets 

 5 to 7, narrowly lanceolate, acute, ^ to 1 in. long, mostly 

 longer than the petioles, silvery with soft hairs. Flowers pale 

 blue, scarcely J4 in. long. — From the Minarets and Rancheria 

 Mt. to Tahoe and Nevada. 



