158 



MALLOW FAMILY 



species. Many plants bear noticeably smaller flowers than 

 others. These smaller flowers do not produce pollen, and 

 therefore, if they set seed, must necessarily be cross-pollin- 

 ated. Indeed, this seems to be essential even in the perfect 

 flowers, for here the anthers shed their pollen before the 



Sidalcea asprella Sidalcea spicata 



stigmas are receptive, and self-pollination is further checked 

 by the position of the anthers, which is at a lower level than 

 that of the mature stigmas. The pollen is probably trans- 

 ferred through the agency of bees. 



2. S. glaucescens Greene. A species very closely related 

 to 5\ asprella and distinguished from it only by the smooth 

 stems and by the leaves, which are nearly or quite glabrous. 



3. S. reptans Greene. Stems 1 to 3 ft. high, with long 

 spreading hairs as also the petioles. Leaves only Y to 2 in. 

 across, the lower toothed or lobed, the upper more deeply 

 parted. Flowers deep rose-purple, about Yz in. long. Seed- 

 bodies honey-combed on the back. (S. favosa Congdon.) 



The stems of 5. reptans are reclining at base and often strike 

 root from the lower joints. It has been collected at the Mari- 

 posa Grove and reported as not rare in high meadows, but 

 it is seldom collected. 



4. S. spicata Greene. This species resembles 5". asprella 

 but is very distinct in technical characters. It may best be 

 known by its dense spike of smaller flowers {J/\ to }£ in. long) 



