78 



PORTULACACEiS. Calyptridium. 



petioles, | to 4 inches long ; the cauline similar but smaller, frequently scariously 

 stipulate, often reduced to a few bracts ; an involucre of broader scarious bracts 

 subtending the dense capitate umbel of nearly sessile spikes : flowers light rose- 

 color; sepals very conspicuous, -2 to 4 lines in diameter, about equalling the oblong- 

 obovate petals : stamens and style somewhat exserted. — PL Frem. in Smith. 

 Contrib. vi. 4, t. 1 ; Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 5143. 



In the Sierra Nevada at 3,000 to 10,000 feet altitude, from the Yosemite Valley northward to 

 the British boundary; E. Humboldt Mountains, Nevada ( fFateow) ; N. W. Wyoming, Parry: 

 usually in dry rocky or sandy localities. 



S. PANICULATA, Kellogg, Proc. Calif. Acad. ii. 187, t. 56. Stems paniculately branched : 

 "growing in a dense ball or cluster prostrate upon the ground and seldom 3 inches in height ; at 

 length melting into an excretory mucilaginous watery mass. Found in a ravine about six miles 

 west of Virginia City, Nevada, Dorr." Known only from Dr. Kellogg's description and figure ; 

 probably an unusual form of the last. 



6. CALYPTRIDIUM, Niitt. 

 Sepals 2, unequal, broadly ovate or orbicular, scarious, at least on the margins. 

 Petals 2, somewhat coherent at the apex. Stamen 1, opposite the lower sepal, 

 included. Style very short, bitid. Capsule 2-valved, 6-12-seeded, membranaceous. 

 Seeds black, shining. — Smooth prostrate diffusely branched annuals , with alter- 

 nate succulent leaves, and small ephemeral flowers in axillary or terminal, clustered 

 or compound scorpioid spikes. Only the following species. 



1. C. monandrum, Nutt. Stems 2 or 3 inches long: leaves spatulate to 

 nearly linear, an inch long or more : sepals and petals a line long or less, the latter 

 at length borne calyptra-like upon the summit of the elongated linear capsule. — 

 Torr. & Gray, Fl. i. 198. 



San Diego (NuttaU) ; Colorado Desert (Ncivbcrry) ; Fort Tejon {Rom) ; Santa Clara Valley, 

 PeckJiam. 



2. C. roseum, Watson. A similar but rather larger flowered species : the larger 

 sepal U to 3 lines broad ; the petals much smaller, free or scarcely coherent : cap- 

 sule oblong-ovate, shorter than the calyx. — Bot. King Exp. 44, t. G. 



Lake Co. (Torrey) ; Sierra Valley {Lemmon) ; and eastward in the valleys of 'Neyada (lFatso7i). 

 to W. Wyoming on the Little Sandy River, Furry. 



7. LEWISIA, Pursh. 



Sepals 4 to 8, broadly ovate, unequal, persistent, strongly imbricated. Petals 8 

 to 16, large and showy. Stamens numerous. Style 3 - 8-parted nearly to the base. 

 ■Capsule dehiscing transversely at the base, there somewhat 4-8-valved, many- 

 seeded. Seeds black, shining. — Low acaulescent fleshy perennials, cespitose, with 

 thick fusiform roots, and short 1-flowered scapes; flowers showy, opening for sev- 

 eral days. The following are the only species. 



1. L. rediviva, Pursh. Leaves densely clustered, linear-oblong and subterete, 

 1 or 2 inches long, smooth and glaucous : scapes but little exceeding the leaves, 

 jointed at the middle, and with 5 to 7 subulate scarious bracts verticillate at the 

 joint : sepals 6 to 8, with broad scarious margins, 6 to 9 lines long : petals usually 

 12 to 15, rose-colored or sometimes white, oblong, 8 to 16 hues long : stamens 40 

 or more : capsule broadly ovate, 3 lines long. — Torr. & Gray, Fl. i. 677 ; Hook. & 

 Arn. Bot. Beechey, 344, t. 86; Hook. f. Bot. Mag. t. 5395. L. alba, Kellogg, Proc. 

 Calif Acad. ii. 115, fig. 36. 



Summit of Mt. Diablo (Brewer), northward to British Columbia and east to IMontana, Utah 

 and Arizona. The thick farinaceous root is largely collected by the Indians for food. It is 

 exceedingly tenacious of life, and several instances are on record of its restored vigor and growth 



