Flora of the Palouse Region 45 



68. CAMASSIA. 



Scapose herbs, with membranous-coated edible bulbs: leaves 

 linear, basal: inflorescence a terminal raceme: flowers large, blue, 

 purple or white, bracted; pedicels jointed at the base of the flower: 

 perianth-segments 6, separate, equal, spreading, persistent, 3-7- 

 nerved: stamens at the bases of the perianth-segments: ovary 

 3-eelled, sessile; ovules numerous in each cavity. 



C. esculeilta Lindl. Scape stout, 30-70 cm. tall: leaves several, mostly 

 shorter than the stem, 5-10 mm. broad, sometimes glaucous: raceme elon- 

 gated, 10-30-flowered, the pedicels short; bracts narrowly lanceolate, about 

 equalling the flowers: flowers dark blue, or rarely white: perianth lobes un- 

 equally spreading, lanceolate, acute, 2 cm. long: capsule oblong-ovate, some- 

 what 3-angled, 10-12 mm. long; seeds black, shining. Abundant in wet 

 meadows. 



69. CUNTONIA. 



Somewhat pubescent herbs, with slender rootstocks and 

 erect simple scapes: leaves few, broad petioled, sheathing, basal: 

 flowers solitary-terminal or umbelledon the erect scapes, bractless: 

 perianth-segments distinct, equal or nearly so, erect or spreading: 

 stamens 6, inserted at the base of the perianth-segments: ovan* 

 2-celled; ovules 2-several in each cavity. 



C. uniflora Kunth. Rootstock creeping, slender: scapes slender, pubes- 

 cent, naked or with one or two small linear bracts, 6-10 cm. tall, bearing a 

 solitary white flower or rarely two; proper stem short: leaves 2-5, oblong, 

 acuminate, pubescent beneath, 10-20 cm. long: calyx pubescent on the outside: 

 filaments attenuate from a thicker base, pubescent below: fruit globose or 

 pyriform, blue. Thatuna Hills, in rich woods. 



70. SMII.ACINA. 



Herbs with slender or short and thick rootstocks: stem simple, 

 scaly below, leafy above: leaves alternate, short-petioled or sessile, 

 ovate, lanceolate or oblong: inflorescence a terminal raceme or 

 panicle: flowers white or greenish, small: perianth of 6 separate 

 spreading equal segments: stamens 6 on the base of the perianth- 

 segments; ovary 3-celled, sessile, subglobose; ovules 2 in each 

 cavity. 



Flowers numerous in a dense panicle. ,S. ampi y kxicai*i,is. 



Flowers few in a raceme V S. skssilifoua. 



S. amplexicaulis Nutt. Rootstocks stout: stems .5-1 m. tall, usually 

 puberuleut: leaves oblong or ovate, acuminate, puberulent, 6-12 cm. long, 

 sessile, clasping the stem somewhat: panicle pyramidal or narrow, 3-10 cm. 

 long; pedicels very short: perianth spreading, the segments oblong, 2 mm. 

 long, as long as the ovary: filaments subulate, longer than the perianth: 

 stvle about as long as the ovary. In rich woods, Kamiack Butte and Thatuna 

 Hills. Variable. 



