278 ALSINACEAE 



subulate, 3-6 mm. long; inflorescence open, few-flowered; bracts lance-subulate; 

 sepals lanceolate, 3 mm. long, scarious-margined, glandular on the thick midrib; 

 petals 3-4 mm. long. Dry mountains: Utah Calif. Submont. Jl-S. 



15. A. Tweedyi Rydb. Stem with somewhat ligneous base, usually less 

 than 1 dm. high, glandular-puberulent especially in the inflorescence; leaves 

 linear-filiform, 2-3 cm. long, less than 1 mm. wide; pedicels about 1 cm. long; 

 sepals lanceolate, acute, about 5 mm. long, scarious-margined and decidedly 

 glandular-puberulent; petals about 8 mm. long. Mountains: Colo. Subalp. 

 Jl. 



16. A. Burkei Howell. Stems woody at the base, 1-2 dm. high; leaves 

 filiform, ascending, somewhat acerose, 1-3 cm. long, glabrous; sepals ovate, acute 

 or acuminate, scarious-margined, 4 mm. long; petals about 5 mm. long. A. 

 congesta subcongesta S. Wats. A. subcongesta Rydb. Mountains: Wash. Calif. 

 Colo. Mont. Mont. Submont. My-Jl. 



17. A. aculeata S. Wats. Stems woody and decumbent at the base, 1-2 

 dm. high, leafy at the base; leaves subulate-filiform, pungent, glabrous and 

 glaucous; sepals ovate, acute, 4 mm. long; petals 5-6 mm. long. Arid moun- 

 tains: Ore. Ida. Ariz. Nev. Son. Submont. Jl-Au. 



18. A. glabrescens (S. Wats) Howell. More or less shrubby perennial; 

 herbaceous branches 2-3 dm. long, glabrous; leaves glabrous, filiform, erect or 

 ascending, 2-4 cm. long; sepals ovate-lanceolate or ovate, acute; petals 6-7 mm. 

 long; capsule nearly twice as long as the calyx. A. Fendleri glabrescens S. Wats. 

 A. congesta macradenia M. E. Jones, not A. macradenia S. Wats. Arid regions 

 in the mountains: Utah Nev. Ariz. Mont. Je-Au. 



19. A. laxiflora Rydb. Cespitose, tufted perennial; stems numerous, 2-4 

 dm. high, glabrous below, glandular-pubescent above, usually thickened at the 

 nodes; leaves filiform, slender, 5-10 cm. long; pedicels long; lower bracts linear- 

 subulate, the upper lanceolate; sepals 5-7 mm. long. A. Fendleri diffusa Porter. 

 Mountains: Colo. Submont. Mont. Je-Au. 



20. A. Fendleri A. Gray. Stems 1-3 dm. high, strict, glabrous beneath, 

 glandular above; leaves filiform, glabrous, more or less glaucous, rather firm, 

 3-8 cm. long; pedicels rather short; sepals 4-5 mm. long. Mountains and dry 

 hills: Wyo. N.M. Ariz. Submont. -Alp. Je-Au. 



21. A. Eastwoodiae Rydb. Stems about 2 dm. high; leaves filiform, stiff, 

 pungent, 1-2 cm. long, 0.5 mm. wide, minutely scabrous-ciliolate on the margins 

 below; pedicels erect, 1-2 cm. long, glabrous; sepals about 6 mm. long, glabrous, 

 equalling or slightly exceeding the petals. Dry hills: N.M. Colo. -Utah. 

 Son. Submont. My. 



22. A. Franklinii Dougl. Stems about 1 dm. high, angular in drying; 

 leaves subulate, acerose, 1-2 cm. long, arcuate-spreading; bracts lance-subulate, 

 scarious-margined at the base; sepals linear-lanceolate, 8-12 mm. long. Sandy 

 soil: Wash. Ida. Ore. Plain Submont. My-Je. 



23. A. Hookeri Nutt. Caudex woody, tufted; stems 4-15 cm. high, terete, 

 more or less pubescent; leaves subulate, ascending or spreading, 0.5-5 cm. long, 

 pungent; bracts lanceolate, scarious-margined; sepals lanceolate, 6-9 mm. long; 

 petals oblong. A. pinetorum A. Nels. Dry hills: Mont. Neb. Colo. Plain 

 Submont. Je-Au. 



7. SAGINA L. PEARLWORT. 



Low matted annuals or perennials. Leaves opposite, filiform or subulate. 

 Flowers axillary, on more or less elongated pedicels. Sepals 4 or 5, persistent. 

 Petals 4 or 5, white, entire or notched, or wanting. Stamens usually 5, alternate 

 with the sepals. Capsule 4- or 5-valved, the valves opposite the sepals. Seeds 

 usually numerous, not strophiolate. 



Stem short, forming sterile rosettes at the base; perennials. 



Basal leaves filiform; petals shorter than the green sepals. 1. S. saginoides. 



Basal leaves subulate; petals longer than the purple-tinged sepals. 2. S. nivalis. 

 Stem slender, 5-10 cm. high, without sterile rosettes at the base; annuals. 



3. S. occidentalis. 



