70 KEY AND FLORA 



corymb, which lengthens to a raceme. Petals with blade 

 ^ in. long. Erect rough herbs, with leaves linear or lanceo- 

 late. 



a. E. as'perum, DC. Stems generally simple, often tall. Flowers 

 generally orange. Pods 4-sided. Widely distributed and variable, 

 especially in the color of the flowers. 



b. E. grandiflo'rum Nutt. Stems 1 or 2 ft. high, simple or 

 branched from the base. Flowers in a corymb, yellow, becoming- 

 paler after pollination. Pod 2-sided, flattened contrary to the partition. 

 From Oregon to Los Angeles, not far from the coast. This includes 

 many forms. 



IX. NASTURTIUM, Cress 



Pods short, oblong or linear, with thin walls. Flowers small, 

 yellow or white. Leaves usually pinnately divided. 



N. officina'le L. WATER CRESS. This is common in all the 

 streams. 



X. BARBARE'A, Wintercress, Yellow Rocket 



Pods somewhat J^-sided, flattened parallel to the partition, 

 about 1 in. long, spreading upwards. Seeds in 1 row in 

 each cell. Flowers yellow, with petals twice as long as the 

 sepals, in a short, dense raceme. Loiver leaves compound, with 

 the terminal leaflet rounded and larger than the others ; upper 

 leaves generally simple. 



B. vulga'ris R. Br. This is the only species. It grows in damp 

 places and blooms in early spring. Widely distributed. 



XI. PLATYSPER'MUM 



Flowers very small, solitary, on naked scapes. Sepals broad, 

 erect, equaling the white, linear-spatulate petals. Pods almost 

 orbicular, with broadly winged, veiny seeds in 2 rows. Leaves 

 lyrate, with few lobes or almost none. 



P. scapig'erum Hook. Scapes 1-6 in. in height in fruit. Flowers 

 about T 1 ^ in. long. Pod - in. long, containing 8-12 seeds. This 

 is found on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from 

 California north to Washington. It blooms in early spring. 



