HYMENOCLEA, Torr. & Gray. 



Hymenoclea, Torr. & Gray, in Emory. Rep. p. 143 (sine char.) ; Gray, PI. 

 Fendl. p. 79. 



Capitula monoica, homogama, glomerato-spicata. Mas. Involucrum Franseriae, 

 5-G — lobum, 15-20 — florum. Receptaculum parvum, paleis scariosis unguiculatis 

 obovato-dilatatis vel spathulatis onustum. Corolla cyathiformis, quinquedentata. 

 Anthcroc conniventes, vis connatac, appendicula deltoidea inflexa superatae. Stylus 

 apice radiato-pcncillatus. Fem. Involucrum fructiferum obovoideum seu fusi- 

 formi-clavatum, coriaceum, clausum, uniloculare, apice in rostrum tubiforme 

 supernc scariosum pervium desinens, extus squamis 9-12 magnis scariosis persis- 

 spiraliter imbricatis, aut univerticillatis, insigniter alatum. — Frutices 



Nco-Mexicani, Texani, ct Californici, in aridis salir 



vigentes, ramosissimi, 



foliis alternis filiformibus, inferioribus pinnato-triquinque- 

 ltegerrimis ; capitulis axillaribus et terminalibus.— Gray, PI. 



HYMENOCLEA SALSOLA, Torr. & Gray, 1. c. Tab. VIII. 



II. involucro fructifero strobiliformi squamas a basi ad apicem spiraliter dispo- 

 sitas suborbiculares undique gerente. 



Hab.— Sandy saline uplands, near the Mohave River, Southern California; 

 flowering in August. 



This singular plant, looking, when in fruit, so much like one of the Chenopo- 

 diace©, is a stout shrub, attaining the height of about two feet, with numerous 

 branches which arc invested with a loose and pale bark. The leaves are mostly 

 entire, from one to two inches long, and scarcely a line wide, semiterete (when dry), 

 paler, and somewhat hoary underneath. Only the lower ones are from three to 

 itve parted. In the axils of the leaves, along the upper branches are clustered the 

 sessile little heads of tlowers. .The staminate heads are hemispherical, and consist 

 of a somewhat hairy involucre of five obtuse, undulate or crenate lobes, enclosing 

 from fifteen to twenty minute flowers, which contain not even the rudiment of an 

 ovary. The corolla is glabrous and five-lobed. The chaff, which is nearly as 

 long as the corolla, is obovate or oblong, with a long and narrow claw. Although 

 destitute of an ovary, the flower contains a slender filiform style, which at length 

 projects through the included tube of anthers, and is furnished with a capitate 

 pencillate stigma. The fructiferous involucre is the most conspicuous part of the 

 plant. It is about one third of an inch in diameter, of an obovoid form, and is 



