Primrose Family 299 



Calyx free from the ovary, usually 5-parted ; persistent 

 or rarely deciduous. Corolla sympetalous, usually 5-cleft, 

 the lobes (in ours) spreading or reflexed. Stamens as 

 many as the corolla-lobes and opposite them, inserted 

 on the tube or at the base of the ovary ; anthers introrse, 

 attached by their backs to the filaments, 2-celled, longi- 

 tudinally dehiscent. Ovary superior, 1-celled ; placenta 

 central, free ; style 1 ; stigma simple, capitate. Capsule 

 2-6-valved ; valves erect, entire or 2-cleft. Seeds few or 

 many ; endosperm present. 



Sterile filaments alternate with the corolla-lobes. I. SAMOLUS. 

 Sterile filaments wanting. 



Flowers axillary on leafy stems. 2 ANAGALLIS. 



Flowers in umbels at the ends of scapes. 3. DODKCATHEON. 



1. SAMOLUS L. BROOKWEED. 



Low glabrous herbs with alternate entire leaves and 

 small white flowers in loose racemes. Calyx 5-cleft, its 

 base coherent with the lower part of the ovary. Corolla 

 campanulate, 5-cleft, with a slender tooth borne at each 

 sinus. Stamens 5, short and included, inserted on the 

 tube of the corolla. Capsule globular, 5-valved at the 

 summit, many-seeded. 



1. S. floribundus H. B. K. Erect or ascending, branched at 

 least at the base, 15-45 cm. high ; leaves membranous, 25-75 mm. 

 long, obovate, obtuse at the apex, narrowed at the base into pet- 

 ioles, the basal often rosulate; flowers email, less than 2 mm. 

 broad, usually numerous, in loose elongated panicled racemes; 

 pedicels filiform, spreading, bracteolate near the middle; calyx- 

 lobes acute, shorter than the corolla ; capsule 2-3 mm. in diame- 

 ter, the 5 apical valves spreading at maturity. (S. Valerandi 

 Americanus Gray.) 



Occasional along watercourses. Lytle Creek; San Bernardino Valley. 



2. ANAGALLIS L. PIMPERNEL. 



Annual or perennial diffuse or erect branching mostly 

 glabrous herbs, with opposite or verticillate sessile or 



