150 MR. NUTTALL'S DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW 
Though so different in habit-yet closely allied to Antirrhinum ; the tubular corolla, 
smooth palate, and entire stigma, being nearly all that distinguishes it from that 
genus ; the seed may also prove different, but that is at present unknown. It is a 
plant highly worthy of cultivation, and flowers very early in the spring. 
Has. In the island of Santa Catalina on the coast of California. Flowering in 
the month of February. 
*CROSSOSOMA.T 
Calyx 5-leaved, imbricated, somewhat coriaceous and persistent, the leaves unequal and concave, with 
colored margins. Corolla of five subsessile, oval petals. Stamina perigynous, about twenty-five on a 
fleshy disk ; anthers adnate. Ovaries two to five, united at base into a short stipe, l-celled; ovules 
many, attached to the ventral suture in a single crowded series. Stigmas thick and sessile, recurved. 
Capsules two to five, coriaceous and cylindric, opening longitudinally and inwards, many-seeded. 
Seed roundish-reniform, nearly surrounded by a deeply fringed arillus. Embryo not seen.—A 
California shrub, with alternate, entire, crowded, exstipulate leaves, and 1-flowered, short, terminal 
branchlets ; flowers white. 
C. CALIFORNICA. 
A tortuous shrub, about four feet high, with a hard whitish wood. The bark light 
grey and very bitter, while the wood and leaves possess very little taste. Leaves 
entire, cuneate-oblong, and small, somewhat coriaceous, smooth, apparently 
evergreen, obtuse, or acutely terminated with a small cartilaginous point; the 
nervures few and somewhat reticulated: one to one and a half inches long, by about 
half an inch broad. Flower branchlets, resembling peduncles, about two inches 
long, with two leaves towards the base. “ The flower, a white Piony in miniature, and 
about the size of an apple blossom. The calyx of five concave, somewhat coriaceous, 
persistent leaves, with white petaloid thin margins. Petals five, white, oval, with 
short claws, seated, as well as the stamens, on the thickened disk of the calyx. 
Stamina about twenty-five, persistent nearly with the ripening capsules ; filaments a 
little longer than the linear, adnate anther, anthers, 2-celled, opening lengthways. 
Carpels two, three, four, rarely five, coriaceous. Stigmas thick, sessile, and recurved. 
Capsules recurved, coriaceous, turgid, united at the base, free above, and divaricate, 
one-half to three-fourths of an inch i in length. Seeds very numerous, pale testaceous, 
roundish-reniform, smooth and somewhat compressed, so nearly covered with a 
copious fringed arillus, as to appear almost packed in tow; the cavity of the testa 
being curved, indicates probably the form of the embryo. 
After examining many of the seeds, I find the rigid coriaceous testa, in every 
instanee empty, so that the nature and character of the germ remains unknown, and 
the real affinities of this curious plant are therefore uncertain. It is probably 
Polygamous dioicus, as the stamens appear destitute of pollen. 
+ From specs fringe, and cous a body; in allusion to the fimbriate arillus. 
