CRUCIFER^ 77 



Vesicaria Poir. 



About 30 species indigenous to Southern Europe and America. 

 (Silicule globular, many-seeded.) 



Vesicaria utriculata Lamk. 



Stem 12-18 inches high, rather woody at the base. Leaves entire, 

 oblong, glabrous ; lower leaves ciUated, almost spathulate. Inflor- 

 escence umbellate at first, elongated later. Flowers yellow, rather 

 large. Petals longer than the calyx. Silicules 8-12 mm. long, oval, 

 glabrous. Seeds broadly winged. 



Rocky places and limestone d6bris in the sub-alpine region and 

 lower valleys. Very local in Switzerland. 



Distribution. — Switzerland (Lower Rhone VaUey, Trient and 

 Bagnes valleys). Savoy, Dauphiny ; Southern Europe as far east 

 as Greece ; Bithynia. 



Alyssum L. 



Annuals or low-branching perennials, with hoary or short 

 stellate down and white or yellow flowers. Filaments of the stamens 

 usually winged near the base, or thickened, or furnished with small 

 teeth. Pod sessile within the calyx, orbiciilar or oval, the partition 

 broad, the valves convex and not veined. Seeds 1-4, or very 

 rarely more. 



A large genus extending over Europe and Northern Asia. Dis- 

 tinguished from Draba chiefly by the short few-seeded pod, with 

 more convex valves. 



Alyssum montanum L. 



Stem diffuse, downy, woody at the base, whole plant greyish 

 green, with adpressed, stellate pubescence. Leaves oboval or 

 oblong-lanceolate. Flowers bright yellow. Petals emarginate ; 

 longer filaments winged. Silicule circular, swelling in the middle, 

 slightly emarginate. Style equalling the silicule or shorter. Seeds 

 narrowly winged. 



Sandy places and limestone hills, in sunny places, 2000-6000 feet. 

 May to July. 



Distribution. — ^Alps, Pyrenees ; Central and Southern Europe, 

 Western Asia, N. Africa. 



Alyssum alpestre L. 



Stem somewhat shrubby at base, diffuse, hoary, like the whole 

 plant. Raceme simple, corymbose. Flowers yellow. Petals entire, 

 rounded. Silicules small, obovate-oblong, swelling in the middle. 

 Seeds slightly winged. Plant covered with stellate hairs. 



Rocky and sandy places in the mountains, especially in river beds. 

 June to August. Very variable. 



Distribution. — Savoy, Dauphin6, Provence, Cevennes, Eastern 



