GENTIANACE.E. 243 



persistent. Corolla convolute in bud, Stameus on corolla-tube, as 

 many as its lobes and alternate with them; anthers 2-celled, opening 

 lengthwise. Ovary 1-celled, with parietal placentse. Style 1; stigma 2- 

 lobed. Seeds very many and small. 



Small aad slender yellow-flowered annual Microcala 1 



Pink-flowored annnals Erythr,ea 2 



Blue-flowered perennials (Jentiana 8 



Trifoliolate white-flowered perennial Menyanthes 4 



1. MICROCALA, Link. Plants almost filiform, the branches pedun- 

 culiform, terminating in a minute 4-merous yellow flower. Corolla 

 funnelform; tube ventricose. Stamens 4, inserted in the throat of the 

 corolla; anthers cordate-ovate. Capsule 2-valved, septicidal, the 

 placentse along the sutures. 



1. M. qnadrangularis (Lam.), Griseb. Simple, or with a few erect 

 branches from the base, 1 — 2 in. high: leaves minute, oval or oblong: 

 peduncles strict, quadrangular: calyx short, quadrangular, appearing 

 truncate at both ends: corolla deep yellow, twice the length of the calyx, 

 open under a sunny sky only. — Frequent along the bases of low hills, 

 and in moist fields; doubtless native. April. 



2. ERYTHRJjA., Renealm. Stems leafy and mostly freely branching. 

 Calyx 5-parted; the divisions slender. Corolla salverform; stamens 

 inserted on its throat; anthers oblong or linear, twisting spirally in age. 

 Capsule elongated. Seeds oblong or spherical, reticulate-pitted. 



* Seeds spherical. 



1. E. veiiusta, Gray. Simple and cymosely several-flowered at sum- 

 mit, or corymbosely branched, 3 — 8 in. high: leaves ovate to oblong- 

 lanceolate, % — %. in. long, obtusish: calyx-lobes very narrow down to 

 the base: corolla bright pink with a yellow center, the limb % in. broad; 

 lobes oval or obovale: anthers oblong-linear. — A southern species, but 

 occurring near San Leandro, according to Dr. Behr. 



2. E. Douglasii, Gray. Slender, 2—10 in. high, loosely paniculate: 

 leaves lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acute, % — % in long: peduncles 

 filiform, erect, the central ones 1 in. long or more: lobes of the pink 

 corolla oblong, SMnes long. — Attributed to San Francisco by Dr. Behr. 



* * Seeds slightly elongated. 



3. E. Muhlenbergii, Griseb. Low, fastigiately branched from the 

 base, cymosely flowered at summit: leaves oblong, obtuse; the floral 

 lanceolate: pedicels short or.almost none in the forks, but the lateral 

 often as long as the flower, and bibracteolate at the summit: corolla 

 rose-red, its lobes 2 — 3 lines long, obtuse or retuse: seeds short-oval. — Com- 

 mon in the Bay region. 



