78 SPRING FLORA 



fruit separating into 4 seed-like nutlets. Mature fruit 

 is necessary for determination. 



Nutlets armed with barbed prickles 1. Lappula 



Nutlets unarmed. 



Calyx membranous and much enlarged in fruit 2. Aperugo 

 Calyx neither membranous nor much enlarged. 



Corolla tubular or funnelform; blue 3. Mertenwla 



Corolla funnelform or rotate. 



Nutlets erect, attached by the very 



base 4. Uthospermum 



Nutlets erect or oblique, attached above the 

 base, borne on a fruiting receptacle 

 (gynobase). 

 Corolla yellow or orange, with open 



naked throat 5. Amainckta 



Corolla white or blue with throat bearing 



more or less prominent swellings. 

 Perennials; corolla white. ... 6. Oreocarya 

 Annuals. 



Gynobase elongate, the nutlets 

 attached by at least % of 



their length 7. Cryptuiithe 



Gynobase low; nutlets oblique or 

 incurved, attached about 

 the middle by a caruncle- 

 like process.... 8. Plagiobothrys 



1. LAPPULA. (Echinospermum). Stickseed. 



Rough-hairy and grayish annuals, biennials or perennials, 

 with alternate entire leaves. Inflorescence a raceme or spike, 

 often much elongated. Flowers mostly small; blue to whitish. 

 Corolla short-saiverform with throat closed by 5 short scales. 

 Stamens included. Ovary deeply 4-lobed. Nutlets erect, fixed 

 laterally to base of style, and armed with 1-3 rows of barbed 

 prickles. 



Perennial; flowers showy 1. L. subdecumbens 



Annual; flowers small.. . 2. L. Redovvskil 



1. Lu subdecumbens (Parry) A. Nels. Stems ascending, un- 

 branched up to the inflorescence; several from a perennial 

 root (10-18 inches high). Basal leaves numerous; grayish- 

 hairy; oblanceolate or spatulate; obtuse and ciliate-margined, 

 tapering into a winged petiole. Stem-leaves oblong; sessile, 

 the upper more or less clasping. Flowers showy, in an open 

 raceme. Calyx-lobes oblong and obtuse. Corolla white, usually 

 tinged with blue; blue-veined; the crests in throat short-downy. 

 Dry plains and hillsides. May-June. Locally called "Wild 

 Forget-me-not." 



la. L.. subdecumbens coerulescens (Rydb.) Differs from the 

 species in the long-hairy crests in the throat of the corolla. 



