332 Boraginaceae 



to the middle, circumscissile near the middle, the lower 

 scarious part together with the short pedicel persistent ; 

 the lobes herbaceous, filiform, hispid-bristly, nerveless. 

 Nutlets 4, not carinate, margined, scabrous-roughened 

 or smooth and shining, the ventral groove divaricate- 

 forked at base. 



1. P. circumscissus (H. & A.) Torr. Strongly hirsute-canes- 

 cent throughout ; stems much branched from the base, forming 

 rounded tufts, 4-6 cm. high ; leaves linear, those of the racemes 

 4-5 mm. long; flowers crowded; corolla minute, naked; nutlets 

 oblong-ovate, acute, smooth or minutely puncticulate-scabrous. 



Frequent in dry stony or sandy places in the interior foothills and moun- 

 tains. Mount Wilson; Ly tie Creek Canyon; Bear Valley. 



6. PLAGIOBOTHRYS F. & M. POP-CORN FLOWER. 



Rather large but slender annuals with most of their 

 leaves in a close basal tuft, the elongated branches erect 

 or decumbent. Racemes spike-like, elongated, loose, 

 naked or leafy-bracted ; pedicels very short, filiform, per- 

 sistent. Calyx 5-cleft or 5-parted, closed or campanu- 

 late, often irregularly circumscissile near the base. Nut- 

 lets carinate on both sides toward the apex, usually with 

 well-defined lateral margins, the back very irregularly 

 rugose ; insertion almost medial on a depressed gymno- 

 base ; areola or scar rounded, rarely stipitate. 



* Nutlets not stipitate. 



1. P. canescens Benth. Stems much branched from the base, 

 decumbent or ascending, 2-4 dm. long; pubescence pale, soft- 

 villous; calyx cleft nearly to the base, the segments broadly 

 lanceolate, 4-6 mm. long in fruit; nutlets 2 mm. long, incurved- 

 connivent, rugose-reticulate, the areola longer transversely, the 

 lateral angles very distinct. 



Frequent in grassy places in our interior valleys and foothills. 



2. P. nothofulvus Gray. Stems 1-several from the depressed 

 rosulate tuft of leaves, erect or suberect, 3-6 dm. high, branching 

 mostly above, silky-villous, the hairs reddish when young, espe- 



