ONAGRACE^. (EVENING-PRIMROSE FAMILT.) 141 



to Misslssirpi, and northward. August. — Stem 2° - 3" hiijh. Flowers axiUaiy, 

 or the upper ones somewhat racemed. 



2. L. virgata, Michx. "fomentose; stem slendei-, simple, or branching 

 from the base ; leaves obtuse, sessile, the lowest oblong, the uppermost linear ; 

 flowers in elongated leafy racemes ; petals twice as long as the reflexed calyx- 

 lobes ; capsule strongly 4-angled. — Low pine barrens, sometimes in rather dry 

 places, Florida to North Carolina, and westward. July and August. — Stem 

 2° - 3° high. Varies considerably in pubescence, and size of the flowers and 

 capsule. 



3. L. hirtella, Eaf. Hairy; stem slender, simple or sparingly branched ; 

 leaves short, lanceolate or oblong, obtuse, sessile and rounded at the base ; flow- 

 ers axillary ; petals twice as long as the erect or spreading calyx-lobes ; capsule 

 strongly angled. (L. pilosa, Ell.) — Flat pine barrens, Florida to Mississippi, 

 and northward. August. — Stem 2° - 3° high. 



* * Valves of the capsule separating from the concave disk, and iiTegularli/ from the 

 persistent partitions and placenta : calt/x~lobes persistent : petals small or none : sta- 

 mens and style short : stems erect or ascending : leaves alternate : flowers sessile. 

 ■t- Petals conspicuous. 



4. L. linearis, Walt. Smooth; stem (l°-3° high) virgately much 

 branched; leaves linear, acute; flowers small; capsule clavate-oblong, with 4 

 rounded angles, 2-3 times as long as the triangular-ovate calyx-lobes. — Ditch- 

 es and ponds, Florida to Mississippi, and northward. July - Sept. — Bark at 

 the base of the stem spongy. 



5. L. linifolia, Poir. Smooth; stem low (G'-12'), creeping at the base, 

 branching ; leaves linear or linear-spatulate, often obtuse ; capsule linear-cylin- 

 drical, rather longer than the lanceolate calyx-lobes. — Ditches and swamps in 

 the low country, Florida to North Carolina, and westward. July - Sept. 



I- t- Petals minute or wanting. 



6. L. eylindrica, Ell. Smooth ; stem angled above, often much branched ; 

 leaves long, lanceolate, obscurely denticulate, acute, tapering into a petiole; 

 petals none ; capsules axillary, often clustered, cylindrical or obscurely 4-sided, 

 many times longer than the small calyx-lobes. — Swamps, Florida to South 

 Carolina, and westward. July -Sept. — Stem mostly bushy, 2° -3° high. 

 Leaves 3' -4' long. 



7. L. pilosa, Walt. Tomentose ; stem stout, terete, much branched ; leaves 

 sessile, lanceolate or oblong, acute; flowers in dense terminal spikes; petals 

 mostly wanting ; capsule globose - 4-sided, about as long as the spreading calyx- 

 lobes. (L. mollis, Ell.) — Ditches and ponds near the coast, Florida to North 

 Caro lina, and westward. July - Sept. — Stem 2° - 3° high, the branches spread- 

 ing. Capsule whitish. 



8. L. sphSBrocarpa, Ell. Smooth or slightly pubescent ; stem slender, 

 angled above, short-branched ; leaves linear-lanceolate, acuminate ; flowers very 

 small, axillary ; petals none ; capsule globose, pubescent, as long as the calyx- 

 lobes. — Margins of pond-;, Florida to Mississippi, and northward, not common 

 July - Sept. — Stem 2° - 3° high. Capsule 1 " - 2" long. 



