PURSLANE FAMILY 473 



tinct or somewhat connate upon one (rarely on both) sides, 4 to 10 lines long, 

 nearly equaling to y 2 as long as the raceme; sepals rather less than 1 line 

 long; petals somewhat quadrangular, retuse or rounded at apex, short-clawed, 

 white or light pink, 2 to 3 lines long. 



Common on open gravelly or rocky hill tops (often in vineyards and other 

 cultivated areas). Coast Ranges mostly near the coast; south to Southern 

 California; north to British Columbia. Not known in the Sierra Nevada. 

 Feb.-Mar. 



Locs. Laguna Mt., San Diego Co., Orcutt 2046; Los Gatos, Heller 7290; San Francisco, 

 Jepson; Berkeley Hills, Tracy 1355; Mt. Diablo, C. F. Baker 2816; Marin Co., Brewer 931; 

 St. Helena, Jepson; Howell Mt., Jepson 514; Kelseyville, Irwin; Tehama Co., Jepson; Ft. 

 Seward Ranch, Jepson 1903; Humboldt Bay, Tracy 3128; Yreka, Butler 678. 



Eefs. MONTIA SPATHULATA Howell, Erythea, 1: 38 (1893); Jepson Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 186 

 (1893). Claytonia spathulata Dougl.;* Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 226, t. 74 (1834), type spms. 

 from the ' ' Northwest Coast, ' ' Menzies, and n. Rocky Mts., Douglas. Limnia spathulata Heller, 

 Muhl. 6: 84 (1910). 



10. M. exigua Jepson n. comb. Similar to M. spathulata but looser and 

 larger (2 to 6 inches high) and less glaucous; basal leaves about equaling the 

 stems, elongated linear, or slightly spatulate, y 2 to 1 li ne broad; leaves of the 

 cauline pair linear, y 2 to l 1 /^ inches long, distinct, or slightly connate on one 

 side, usually much exceeding the raceme; petals white, 2 lines long, twice 

 length of sepals. 



Throughout California, but mostly towards the interior, the known stations 

 few. At higher elevations than M. spathulata, which is of low hills near the 

 coast. North to British Columbia. Lower California. 



Locs. Yreka, Butler 674; Howell Mt., Jepson 514; Mt. Diablo, Brewer 1082; Yosemite 

 (Zoe, 4: 161) ; Santa Rosa Peak, Jepson 1447; San Diego, Alderson 328. 



Var. viridis Jepson n. comb. Herbage green; cauline leaves lanceolate, 

 nearly distinct. Mountains of Southern California. 



Locs. Mt. San Antonio (Old Baldy), Sail 1245; Onstatt's Valley, Mt. San Jacinto, Hall 

 2218. 



Refs. MONTIA EXIGUA Jepson. Claytonia exigua T. & G. Fl. 1: 200 (1838), type spnu 

 from California, Douglas. Montia spathulata var. exigua Rob. in Gray, Syn. Fl. I 1 : 275 (1897). 

 Claytonia tenuifolia T. & G. Fl. 1: 201 (1838), type from California, Douglas. C. spathulata 

 var. tenuifolia Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 22: 282 (1887). Var. VIRIDIS Jepson. Montia spathu- 

 lata var. viridis Davidson, Bull. S. Cal. Acad. 5: 61 (1906), type loc. Rock Creek, desert side of 

 Mt. San Antonio, Hasse $ Davidson. 



11. M. saxosa Brandegee. Stems numerous, caespitose, forming a dense 

 succulent ball 1 to 2 inches in diameter; basal leaves obovate or spatulate, 

 rounded at apex, 3 to 6 lines long, nearly sessile; cauline leaves a single pair, 

 ovate, obtuse, not connate, 2 to 3 lines long; racemes umbellate, few- flowered, 

 the pedicels equaling or exceeding the short scape-like stems ; sepals roundish, 

 2 lines long, the roseate petals twice as long; capsules 1% to 2 lines long; 

 seeds foveolate-striate. 



Yollo Bolly Range, from North Yollo Bolly south to Snow Mt., about 7000 

 feet altitude. 



Refs. MONTIA SAXOSA Brandegee; Gray, Syn. Fl. I 1 : 274 (1897). Claytonia saxosa 

 Brandegee, Zoe, 4: 150 (1893), type loc. Snow Mt., Brandegee. Montia rosulata Eastw. 

 Proc. Cal. Acad. ser. 3, Bot. 1: 79 (1897), type loc. near Rock Spring, Mt. Tamalpais; basal 

 leaves 5 to 10 lines long; flowers 1% to 2 lines across; petals white, oblong-obcordate. Limnia 

 rosulata Heller, Muhl. 10: 84 (1910). 



12. M. sibirica Howell. Stems erect, 9 to 18 inches high ; root fibrous and 

 annual with a thick crown, or the crown persistent as a short rootstock ; basal 

 leaves ovate or obovate to suborbicular, acuminate or acute, rarely obtuse, 1 

 to 2 inches long, on petioles 3 to 5 inches long; cauline pair similar, distinct, 

 sessile or short-petioled; raceme very lax, 3 to 7 inches long, bracteate, the 



