NEW CALIFORNIAN ATRIPLICES. 



305 



largest, tlie sides smooth, or tlie lower bearing one or more 



tooth-like projections. 



In this genus of homely weeds this species would pass for 

 a not unpleasing plant. The leaves on the virgate branches 

 are much alike in size and form ; they are triplenerved and 

 almost as broad as long; the lowest are rarely five lines 

 long. The stem is sometimes absolutely strict, but usually the 

 species is distinguished by its virgate branches. Sometimes the 

 stems bear numerous very short branches which however rob 

 the plant of nothing of its virgate aspect. The inflorescence is 

 androgynous, commonly 3 staminate and 3 to 5 pistillate flowers 

 in the cluster. Collected by the writer Aug. 16, 1892, near 

 Little Oak, Solano County, in saline soil. 



A. TRINERVATA. Annual, erect, 2 to 3 feet high : herbage 

 closely and finely mealy-scurfy ; leaves 1 to 3 inches long, 

 broadly ovate or deltoid-ovate, irregularly and sharply sinuate- 

 toothed, the lower on stout petioles 9 or 10 lines long and 

 strongly 3-nerved from the base, the upper reduced to sessile 

 floral bracts as broad or broader than long ; fruiting bracts 

 sessile in the axils of the leaves, numerous on the branches, 

 orbicular, 2 lines long, 2^ to 8 lines broad, usually emargi- 

 nate at apex, sharply toothed, partly distinct in the wmg. and 

 commonly bearing on one face a few irregular projections or 



crests. 



The specimens were collected in good fruit. The flowers 

 are perhaps more or less unisexual although there are 

 evidences of short terminal staminate spikes. It is distin- 

 guishable from A. argenfea, Nutt., of the Rocky Mts. by its 

 greater size, 3-nerved bracts, distinctly 5-angled, not obscurely 

 4-angled stem, and by the floral leaves which are deltoid-ovate, 

 not triangular-hastate. Near the Araquipa Hills, Solano 

 County, in low situations, more or less saline, Sept 22, 1891. 



I 



A. VERNA. A low annual, only 3 or 4 inches high ; the 

 branches simple or nearly so, two or three pairs opposite at 

 base, the upper alternate ; the plant loosely scurfy throughout ; 



