179 



15 ATRATI. 



Pods oblaiig to nearly linear, cartilaginous to coriaoeous, 

 rarely chartaceous, not inflatfd fa little so in A. atratus), various- 

 ly ".i-iM'lle'i l»y the intrusion of tlie dorsal putnre, sulcute Uorsally 

 (exct jiL in the variety menganus, rarely at ull ventrally, wah the 

 cross-.' cction round or nearly so), pod sessile or only lumutwly «tip- 

 iiiite, inclined to be Micier above the middle, about 1.2-2.5 cm. 

 long, r.indy Ti mm. wide or high, opening first at tip, racemoBe, 

 \LMirral suture tlie mure arched and pod arcuate downward and 

 seemingly itpside down. Flower.* sbort, rarely 1 cm. long, wide 

 H'ld stubby (tiot stubby in Panamintensit;), wJiitt or greenish, sel- 

 doni purplish, with eainpanulate c.lyx and narrow teeth, on slen- 

 der {)odieels much longer thati the brads, (fiowert^ nearly sessile 

 and bracts longer than the pedicels m A oliscurusj. Bracts and 

 stipules small, the latter not coiiJ iite. Lckm-s narrow und with 

 relatively elongated rachis ta})enng a/ d rather rigid. Leaflets 

 few (rarely T pairs), narrow, mostly short, sub-alternate, distani, 

 mo8tl\ much reduced above and ibolmed to abort. 8ttir,s, leaf- 

 riichis and peduncles all green. Stems short ai d slender, wilh 

 rai her m;iny very short intetnodes below and inclined lo be caes- 

 pitose (rarely somewhat el(tnj.aied and with a few long internodes 

 above), prostrate to decumbent, perennial. This group grows 

 only in the Great Easin, Death Valley h\h\ southern edge of the 

 Columbia Kasin in arid plactjs, rarely among grasses. 



KEY 



A. Pods cartilaginous when dry, fleshy v/hcn fresh, very oblique, 

 mottled, w^idely spreading or a little retlexed. Proper stems aln.os: 

 none, caespitose, with stipules mostly overlapping. Flowers few. 



136 Salmonis. 

 2A. Pods not cartilaginous, mostly slightly fleshy when fresh, near- 

 ly straight, almost linear, rarely at all mottled. Some of the stems 

 with long internodes. Leaflets mostly sharp. 

 2AB. Stems slightly if at all branched and not densely 



tangled. Peduncles conspicuous and elongated (except in A. 

 Ibapensis). Flowers greenish-white, with mostly sharp keel. 

 2ABC. Flowers and pods erect or ascending. Pedicels very 



short. Flowers in heads, or rarely spicate. 137 obscurus. 



2AB2C. Pods reflexed or pendent, opening along both su- 

 tures. Flowers mostly reflexed. Pedicels elongated 

 and slender and much longer than the short bracts. 

 Flowers several, in long racemes. 13S atratus. 



Flowers 1-2 at the ends of filiform 



peduncles shorter than the leaves. 139 Ibapensis. 



2A2B. Stems densely and intricately branched forming broad 

 mats a few inches high. Peduncles hidden among the 

 leaves. Flowers few, purple, not stubby. Pods oblong, tri- 

 quetrous in cross-section, flat-apiculate, straight. 



HO Panamintensic. 



