West AMBEtCAK okuoifbbje. 89 



pinnate character of a solitary leaf, at least in the pressed spec- 

 imens. 



Corresponding to the last in habitat, bnt having a more north- 

 erly range in the Sierra, and still passing for a Streptanthus, 

 though of floral character most anomalous in the cruoiferse, is 

 what I wish to designate as 



MiOEOSEMiA POLTGALOIDES. S. polygaloides, Gray. The re- 

 markable peculiarity of one large colored banner-like sepal stand- 

 ing nearly upright in expansion, and in bud folded down over all 

 the others and enclosing them, was first described by the writer, 

 Pittonia, ii. 46, and again in the Flora Franciscana, p. 262. 

 Among fifty accomplished taxonomists, perhaps not one, with 

 a mere spike of such flowers before him, and without other evi- 

 dence, would guess this plant to be a crucifer, or believe it to be 

 such until he had dissected it. It belongs, indeed, in the same 

 tribe of crucifers as Streptanthus, but is as remote from that 

 genus as is possible within such tribal limits. 



Ifot as much can be said of the following type, which is 

 apparently as peculiar to the Coast Eange as Microsemia and 

 Mitophyllum are to the Sierra Nevada. The type species is my 

 Streptanthus barbiger ; and there are two congeneric species 

 known to me that are hitherto undescribed. 



These plants have a glabrous glaucescent herbage, and all 

 except the very lowest and somewhat lanceolate and toothed 

 leaves are narrow and entire. The habit, and the spicate flow- 

 ers are points of contact with Microsemia; but the calyx is 

 perfectly that of Pleiocardia, being quite as herbaceous and close- 

 fitting, with tips of sepals even more prolonged, recurved and 

 white-margined, but there is no more hint or trace of the round- 

 ed bracts subtending the inflorescence here than there is in 

 Microsemia, in which latter I am persuaded the plants have, as 

 I think, their nearest ally despite the fact that none of the 

 species show any sign of that strange metamorphosis of sepals 

 characteristic of that type. 



Alluding, in the generic name, to habitat of this little group , 

 I name the type species 



MESOBBAnrTHTTS BAEBiGEE. S. barbiger, Greene, resting it 



Lkaflkts, Vol. i, pp. 89-96, Deo. 31, 1904. 



