240 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



10. EscHSCHOLTZiA. Sepals coherent. Stigma lobes lin- 

 ear. 



Certain field observations made recently appear to me to 

 so materially alter the relations of Platystigma and Platy- 

 stemon as to enable them to be satisfactorily placed in the 

 same genus. This is the more desirable, because their re- 

 semblance is so great, before the development of the capsule, 

 as to require careful scrutiny to distinguish them. 



Platystemon Californicus was observed this 3'ear at San 

 Simeon, by the writer, with quantities of dark-brown shin- 

 ing seeds escaping from the apex of a capsule having 

 coherent carpels, which, though folded in the usual man- 

 ner and lightly coherent, were not torulose, and contained 

 no seeds, the enclosed ovules being entirely undeveloped. 

 By opening and carefully stretching a section of the ovary 

 under the microscope, the folds of the carpels may be 

 opened and the manner of the development of its singular 

 fruit displayed. Each carpel has four nerve-like placentae, 

 those farthest from the margin being enclosed by folding, 

 the two nearest forming part of the wall of the capsule, and 

 their ovules, unless aborted, maturing in its cavity. 



P. linearis makes a close approach to this method of 

 fruiting — its deeply sulcate capsule is formed of carpels 

 which fold but do not unite, and the resemblance is still 

 greater when, as often happens, they aa-e increased in num- 

 ber. So far as I know, this form has not attracted the 

 notice of any one, though subsequent examination of her- 

 . barium specimens shoAvs that it was collected many years 

 ago at Santa Cruz, Mr. Brandegee brings it also this year 

 from Santa Rosa Island. 



Both these species are very variable in size, pubescence, 

 and number and relative size of floral organs. One peculi- 

 arity which they share with Ao'ctomecon and Canhya is the 

 persistency of their petals. It is, however, probably not con- 

 stant in any of them, certainly not in Canhya, and still less in 

 Platystemon, though it is very common, and there are speci- 



