Purslane Family 141 



leaves linear to oblanceolate, the lower petioled, 3-6 cm. long; 

 flowers scattered along the branches; sepals ovate, acute or acu- 

 minate, carinate, the keel and margins entire or sparsely ciliolate ; 

 petals broadly obovate, 5-15 mm. long, rose-red or rarely white; 

 seeds black and shining. (C. Menziesii (Hook.) T. & G. ; C. ele- 

 gans Spach.) 



Common on the mesas, especially in the coast region. February-May. 



2. C. maritima Nutt. Stems glaucous, depressed, 6-10 cm. 

 long; leaves mostly rosulate at the base, obovate to obovate- 

 spatulate, the upper bract-like; flowers in a loose naked cyme; 

 calyx ovate, acute, about 3 mm. long; petals 5-6 mm. long, rose- 

 purple; capsule ovoid, 4 mm. long, acutish ; seeds dull grayish. 



Along the seashore at Santa Monica ; Davidson. 



2. CALYPTBIDIUM Nutt. 



Glabrous and rather succulent herbs, branching from 

 the base, the branches prostrate or ascending. Flowers 

 small, ephemeral, solitary or clustered in scorpioid spikes 

 Sepals 2, broadly ovate or cordate-orbicular, scarious, 

 persistent. Petals 2-4. Stamens 1-3. Style bifid. Cap- 

 sule membranaceous, 2-valved, 6-12-seeded. 



1. C. monandrum Nutt. Stems prostrate, much branched, 

 2-8 cm. long; leaves spatulate, about equaling the branches, 

 mostly radical, the cauline similar but usually smaller; sepals 2, 

 narrowly scarious margined, 1.5mm. long; petals 2-3, about equal- 

 ing the sepals; stamens 1, shorter than the petals; filaments subu- 

 late ; style short, shortly 2-lobed or entire ; capsule linear, be- 

 coming much exserted, bearing the withered petals at the apex ; 

 seeds 5-10. 



Frequent on sand-dunes along the seashore and occasional in the foot- 

 hill region. March-May. 



3. MONTIA L. MINER'S LETTUCE. 



Low glabrous and succulent herbs with delicate pale 

 rose-colored or white flowers in loose axillary or ter- 

 minal, simple or compound racemes. Sepals 2, rarely 3, 

 persistent. Petals usually 5, rarely 3 or wanting, more 



