crucifer.-e. 145 



Plate 60, 61. 

 STREPTANTHUS, Nutt. 



Siliqua et semina fere Axabidis. Calyx coloratns. Petala 

 (ssepius purpurea) ungue canaliculato plerumqne torto. 



Streptanthus, Nutt. in Jour. Acad. Philad. 5. p. 134. t. 7. Hook. Bot. 

 Mag. t. 3317, 3516, & Ic. PI. t. 40, 44. Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. 

 Am. 1. p. 75. Endl. Gen. 4852. 



Calyx colored (purple or purplish): the sepals erect, the 

 lateral or all four sometimes gibbous or saccate at the base. 

 Petals conspicuously unguiculate ; the claw canaliculate, 

 often twisted ; the lamina dilated and obovate, or narrow 

 and linear-oblong or lanceolate. Filaments subulate, those 

 of the longer pair of stamens frequently united into one ! 

 anthers linear-sagittate. Ovary linear or oblong : style 

 short or none : stigma truncate or two-lobed. 



Silio.ue lineal - , usually much elongated, not stipitate, or 

 scarcely so, compressed ; the valves flat or sometimes con- 

 vex, strongly one-nerved in the middle ; the partition desti- 

 tute of a midnerve (areolation various). Seeds numerous in 

 a single row in each cell, pendulous on filiform free funiculi, 

 oval, compressed, usually wing-margined and as broad as the 

 partition. Cotyledons flat, parallel with the partition, ac- 

 cumbent against the ascending radicle which is remote 

 from the placenta. 



Herbs, chiefly annual or biennial, with undivided leaves, 

 or the lowest lyrate-pinnatifid, the cauline sessile or clasp- 

 ing, and virgate racemes of usually showy purple (rarely 

 greenish -yellow) flowers. Limb of the petals frequently 

 rose-color, with a deep purple spot in.the centre. Pedicels 

 ebracteate, except in S. bracteatus, Plate 60 ! 



Etymology. Name composed of a-Tpenros. twisted, and &v8ot. flower ; 

 from the contorted claws of the petals. 



