Linaceae 229 



Stipules commonly present as scarious margins to the 

 bases of the petioles ; leaflets mostly obcordate. Flowers 

 perfect, in umbel-like or forking cymes or rarely solitary, 

 on mostly rather long peduncles. Sepals 5, often un- 

 equal. Petals 5, white, purple or yellow. Stamens 

 10-15. Ovary 5-lobed, 5-celled ; styles united or dis- 

 tinct ; ovules 2-many in each cell. Fruit a loculicidal, 

 globose or columnar capsule. Embryo straight ; endo- 

 sperm fleshy. 



1. OXALIS L. WOOD-SORREL. 



Sepals imbricated, regular. Petals hypogynous. Sta- 

 mens 10, monadelphous at base, 5 longer and 5 shorter, 

 all anther-bearing. Ovules several in each cell ; styles 

 5, distinct, persistent ; stigmas terminal. Seeds with a 

 loose aril-like dehiscent outer coat. 



1. O. Wrightii Gray. Csespitose perennial, the prostrate 

 and rooting or ascending stems suffrutescent and more or less 

 branched below, 15-20 cm. long or more, from a short, erect, 

 woody caudex; leaves 3-foliate; leaflets 4-10 mm. long, often 

 broader ; petiole somewhat stipular-dilated at base ; flowers 6-10 

 mm. broad, yellow, 1-3 on elongated, axillary peduncles which 

 are short-bracteate at summit ; petals obovate, twice as long as 

 the calyx, usually emarginate ; capsules oblong, 1-1.5 cm. long. 



Common in the chaparral belt throughout our range. 



2. O. corniculata L. Annual, caespitose, prostrate and root- 

 ing at the nodes, somewhat rough-villous ; leaflets 6-10 mm. long, 

 mostly broader ; stipules evident, rounded or truncate at summit, 

 adnate; flowers 6 mm. long, solitary or umbelled, otherwise as 

 in the last. 



Occasional about lawns and greenhouses. 



Family 45. LINACEAE. FLAX FAMILY. 



Herbs or shrubs with alternate or opposite leaves and 

 perfect regular flowers. Stipules mostly small or none. 

 Sepals 5, rarely 4, imbricated, persistent. Petals of the 



