154 Ranunculaceae 



linear or lanceolate lobes ; inflorescence racemose or paniculate, 

 many-flowered ; sepals obovate, 10-15 mm. long, half as long as 

 the narrow spur, deep red ; petals usually somewhat yellowish. 

 Frequent in the foothills, mostly below 3500 feet altitude. June-July. 



4. CLEMATIS. VIRGIN'S BOWER. 



Ours woody climbers with opposite mostly pinnately 

 divided leaves. Sepals usually 4, petaloid. Petals 

 none. Stamens numerous. Pistils many, becoming 

 achenes with long plumose styles. 



1. C. lasiantha Nutt. Tomentose-pubescent ; leaves 3 foliate; 

 leaflets 2.5-5 cm. long, mostly broadly ovate, somewhat 3-lobed 

 and coarsely toothed, the teeth rounded; flowers polygamous, 

 solitary or 3-5 on bibractiolate peduncles, 3-6 cm. broad ; sepals 

 broadly oblong, cream-colored ; achenes pubescent. 



Common in the chaparral belt, clambering over shrubs. April-May. 



2. C. ligusticifolia Nutt. Somewhat pubescent or nearly 

 glabrous ; leaves pinnately 5-7-foliate, or the lowest pair of leaf- 

 lets again 3-foliate, ovate, cordate or obtuse at base, acute or acu- 

 minate, mostly incised or rather sharply toothed ; inflorescence 

 paniculate, many-flowered ; flowers 2-4 cm. broad, -cream-colored ; 

 achenes densely silky-pubescent. 



Common in canyons in all our mountains and occasionally extending into 

 the valleys along streams. May-July. 



5. OXYGRAPHIS Bunge. 



Perennial herbs with crenate, dentate or lobed, long 

 petioled leaves and small yellow flowers, solitary or 27 

 together on scapes or scape-like peduncles. Sepals usu- 

 ally 5, spreading, at length deciduous. Petals 5-15 with 

 a nectar-pit near the base of each. Stamens and pistils 

 numerous. Head of fruit oblong or oval or rarely sub- 

 globose. Achenes compressed, longitudinally striate, 

 without a hard coat. 



1. O. Cymbalaria (Pursh) Prantl. Low, glabrous, spreading 

 by runners; leaves mostly basal, slender petioled, cordate-oval or 

 reniform crenate, 4-18 mm. long; scapes 3-12 cm. long, some- 



