PIXK FAMILY. 155 



Swamps. Southern California to Washington. Formerly at Fort Point, San 

 Francisco. Barely collected. 



4. A. macrophylla Hook. Puberulent perennial, with running rootstocks 

 and ascending or erect stems, 3 to 4 in. high; leaves in 3 to 5 pairs, lanceolate 

 or linear lanceolate, acute at each end, more or less punctate, 1 to 3 in. long; 

 peduncles slender, terminal or becoming axillary, 1 to 5-flowered; sepals ovate, 

 acute or acuminate, 1% to 2 lines long, exceeding the petals; capsule ovoid, 

 nearly equaling the calyx. 



Shady slopes in the mountains, from Southern California to Grizzly Peak, 

 Mt. Diablo and northward. 



7. SAGINA L. Pearl Wort. 

 Diminutive herbs with subulate or filiform leaves. Flowers minute, terminal, 

 often long-pediceled. Sepals 5 or 4, usually rotate-spreading in fruit. Petals 

 white, entire or slightly emarginate, or often none. Stamens usually 5. Styles 

 as many as the sepals and alternate with them. Capsule dehiscent to the 

 base by entire valves. (Latin sagina, fattening, some species abundant in 

 sheep-grazed country.) 



Filiform annuals. 



Sepals and petals 5; herbage nearly glabrous 1. 5". occidentalis. 



Sepals 4; petals commonly none; herbage glandular-pubescent 2. S. apetala. 



Succulent perennial; flowers 5-merous 3. 5". crassicaulis. 



1. S. occidentalis Wats. Inconspicuous annual with almost capillary 

 stems, branching at the base, erect, 2 to 5 in. high; slightly hispidulous-glan- 

 dular on the calyx and upper portion of pedicel, otherwise glabrous; upper 

 leaves broadly subulate, acute, 2 to 3 lines long, the lower filiform-linear, 3 

 to 6 lines long; pedicels 3 to 6 lines long; sepals and petals 5; sepals % line 

 long, the petals nearly as long; calyx rounded at the base; stamens 3 to 10; 

 capsule 1^4 lines in length. 



Xot uncommon, but obscure and mostly in low ground: San Joaquin and 

 Sacramento valleys; Xapa Valley and southward to Southern California. 

 Apr. -May. 



2. S. apetala Aid. Similar to the preceding but usually glandular-pubes- 

 cent; leaves linear-subulate, acute, 1% to 3 lines long; calyx 4-parted; petals 



4, minute and obovate, or commonly none. 



Naturalized from Europe: North Berkeley, Davy; Tehama Co., Jepson, 

 1899. 



3. S. crassicaulis Wats. Smooth perennial, the stems stoutish and succu- 

 lent, branching, iy 2 to 5 in. long, decumbent; leaves linear, thiekish, 2 to 9 

 lines long, the basal forming a rosette, the cauline connate by broad scarious 

 membranes; flowers erect or nodding; petals and sepals subequal, 1% lines in 

 length; capsule ovate, little exserted from the fruiting calyx. 



Beaches along the coast from Monterey to Tomales Bay. June. 



8. SPERGULARIA J. & 0. Presl. Sand Spurrey. 

 Low herbs, usually of alkaline plains, borders of salt marshes, or maritime. 

 Leaves linear or subulate-filiform, semi-terete, with scarious stipules. Sepals 



5. Petals 5, purplish or w-hite, entire. Stamens commonly in. Styles 3, 



rarely 5. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds often win •/-margined. Embryo annular. 



(Derivative of Spergula.) 



Erect or ascending, more or less succulent perennials with fusiform fleshy roots 



1. S. macrotheca. 



