58 



POLYGALACE^. Viola. 



* * * Sleim very short, usualli/ clustered, from a deep subterranean rootstock : leaves 

 all divided : Jlowers yellow ; spur very short. 



11. V. chrysantha, Hook. More or less pubescent with short spreading hairs: 

 leaves bipinnalilid with narrow oblong' or linear segments ; stipules lanceohite, 

 entire or tootlied : pedum;K;s e<|UaUing or exr.eeding tlio leaves, 2 to /) inelics lung : 

 liowers usually large : ]»etals 5 to l) lines long, bright yellow, the upper brown- 

 purple on the outside, the others veined, the lateral ones not bearded : stigma 

 slightly hairy below the ruundeii summit : capsule 5 lines long, acute : seeds large. 

 — Ic. PI. t. 49; Hook. & Arn. P.ot. IJeechey, 325; Kellogg, Troc. Calif. Acad, 

 ii. 229, iig. 72. 



In dry soil on low hills from Monterey {Doiujlas) and Knight's Feny {Bigdow) to Mendocino 

 Co. {bulandcr) ami iiuilLwiud ; Snuku Country, Tolmie. 



12. V. BeckTvithii, Torr. A; Gray. Glabrous or pubescent: leaves broadly 

 cordate in outline, 3-purted ; the divisions lobed and cleft into linear or oblong seg- 

 ments : peduncles about equalling the leaves : petals 4 to 7 lines long, very broad, 

 the upper purple, the others yellow with purple veins, the lateral ones bearded and 

 the lower deej)ly emarginate: stigma lightly bearded at the sides : capsule obtuse. — 

 Pacif. R. Rep. ii. 119, t. 1. V. montana, Kellogg, Proc. Calif. Acatl. i. 56. 



In tlio eentnil Sierra Nevnda u]ion both sides of tlie range, from Alpine Co. {Anderson) to Sierra 

 Co. {Lamiwn): Diamond Mountains, N. Nevada, licckwilh. 



13. V. Sheltonii, Torr. (ilabrous or nearly m\ leaves as in tho last : ])etals 

 rather smaller, narrower, all yellow, veined with ])urple, the lateral ones and the 

 stigma glabrous ; lower petal not emarginate. — Pacif. K. Pep. iv. 67, t. 2. 



In the northern Sierra Nevada, hi Plumas, SieiTa, and Nevada counties, Rev. Mr. Skelton, Bigc- 

 low, Lemmon, Mrs. Pulsi/cr Ames. 



OiiDEii XII. POLYGALACE^. 



Herbs or shrubs, Avith simple entire leaves and no stipules, remarkable for the 

 papilionaceous-looking flowers (but of structure unlike tho papilionaceous corolla), 

 monadelphous or diadelphous stamens colierent with the petals, and one-celled 

 anthers opening at the top ; — an order not closely related to any other, to which is 

 appended the very peculiar genus Krameria. 



1. POLYGALA, Tonrn. 



Sepals 5, very tim-tiual, the 2 lateral ones liirgo and pctal-liko (railed witujs). Pet- 

 als 3, united to each other and to tho stamen-tube, tho middle one (or keel) hooded 

 above and often crested or beaked. Stamens 6 to 8, the lilaments xmited below 

 into a split sheath, adnato at base to the petals : anthers 1 -celled, often cupshaped, 

 opening at the apex. Ovary 2-celled : ovules solitary, pendulous, auatropous : 

 style long, curved, dilated above: stigma terminal or apparently lateral. Capsule 

 membranaceous, flattened contrary to the narrow partition, rounded and often notcheil 

 above, loculicidal at the margin. Seed carunculate at the hilum : embryo large, 

 straight, with thin albumen. — Herbaceous or somewhat shrubby; with simple 

 entire leaves, and racemose or spicato flowers. The Californian si)ecies are perennials 

 with a woody base, alternate leaves, and few large flowers in terminal racemes. 



A genus of some 200 species, of the temperate and warmer zones, represented by 30 or more 

 species in the region east of the Rocky Mountains. A bitter principle is connnon to the genus, 

 of medicinal value in some instances. 



