Phlox Family 313 



partially dehiscent or indehiscent. Seeds commonly 

 mucilaginous and sending out threads containing each a 

 spiral coil. 



1. N. prostrata (Gray) Greene. Glabrous or nearly so ; flower 

 clusters sessile near the ground, the few branches radiating from 

 beneath and prostrate; leaves pinnatifid, the rachis broad and 

 strap-shaped, the segments short and spreading; calyx-tube 

 minutely white-hirsute, thin-hyaline between the stout costae, 

 constricted over the capsule, the segments spreading, 2 subulate 

 and entire, 3 spinulose trifid ; pericarp a transparent indehiscent 

 utricle close-fitted to the amalgamated mass of glutinous seeds, 

 breaking transversely or irregularly when soaked ; seeds 4 in each 

 cell. (Gilia prostrata Gray.) 



In low adobe places on the mesas of the coast valley. Inglewood. 



2. N. viscidula Benth. Viscid-pubescent, at length much 

 branched, erect, 5-8 cm. high, rather stout; leaves narrowly 

 linear but firm, laciniate-pmnatifid or parted into setaceous-sub- 

 ulate ascending lobes ; the bracts ovate-dilated ; flowers densely 

 glomerate; corolla violet or purple, 8-10 mm. long; capsule of 

 firm texture, dehiscent, normally 3-6-seeded. (Gilia viscidula 

 Gray.) 



Dry places of the interior plains and foothills. May-June. 



3. N. atractyloides (Benth.) H. & A. Pubescent and very 

 viscid, rigid-branched, spreading or procumbent, 5-15 cm. long; 

 leaves ovate-lanceolate, rigidly coriaceous and in age reticulate, 

 the margins beset with divaricate spinose-subulate teeth ; flowers 

 less glomerate; corolla narrowly funnelform, 12-18 mm. long, 

 deep purple; capsule dehiscent, 6-10-seeded. (Gilia atractyloides 

 Steud.) 



Frequent in dry washes. May-June. 



3. GILIA R. & P. 



Annual herbs, rarely perennial or shrubby, with alter- 

 nate entire or pinnately toothed, lobed or divided leaves, 

 and small or showy flowers more or less clustered at the 

 ends of the branches. Calyx campanulate or tubular, 

 5-toothed or 5-lobed, scarious between the ribs or angles. 

 Corolla funnelform. Stamens inserted equally on the 



