PINK FAMILY. 157 



9. SPERGULA L. Spurrey. 



Annual. Leaves narrowly linear or* subterete, apparently in whorls, but 

 really opposite, several others of their own size being crowded in the axils; 

 stipules small and scarious. Flowers symmetrical. Sepals 5. Petals 5, white, 

 entire. Stamens 10, occasionally 5. Styles 5, alternate with the sepals. Cap- 

 sule 5-valved, the entire valves opposite to the sepals. Embryo spirally an- 

 nular. (Latin spargere. to scatter, in reference to the dispersion of the seeds.) 



1. S. arvensis L. Corn Spurrey. Diffusely branching from the base, the 

 stems 1 to 2 ft. long; pubescence of short spreading glandular hairs; leaves 

 slightly fleshy, numerous in rather remote whorls; flowers white, 4 lines broad, 

 in a cymose panicle with strongly divergent branches turned abruptly down- 

 ward after flowering; petals ovate, exceeding the sepals. 



Fields and orchards near the coast: Sebastopol (1903); Olema, Jepson, 

 1910; Berkeley to Monterey Co. Apr. Introduced European weed. Keadily 

 eaten by cattle and said to increase the flow of milk. Flowers opening only 

 of afternoon. 



10. POLYCARPON L. 



Low much branched annual with numerous flat leaves, small scarious stipules 

 and very small flowers in cymes. Sepals 5, more or less carinate, searious- 

 margined. Petals 5, hyaline, shorter than the sepals. Stamens 3 to 5. Styles 

 united below, very short, with 3 branches. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds several. 

 Embryo little curved. (Greek polus, many, and karpos, fruit, in reference to 

 the numerous pods.) 



Leaves in 4s or opposite; inflorescence leafless 1. P. tctrapJiyUum. 



Leaves opposite; inflorescence more or less leafy 2. P. depression. 



1. P. tetraphyllum L. Xearly glabrous, the stems prostrate, 2 to 5 in. 

 long; leaves in 4s or opposite, oblong or obovate, short-petioled, 2 to 6 lines 

 long; cyme leafless, many-flowered, dense, the flowers nearly 1 line long or a 

 trifle more, short pediceled; sepals green or purplish; capsule nearly equaling 

 the calyx. 



Beaten gravelly places: Xapa Valley; Vallejo; Berkeley, Tracy, 1903. 

 Naturalized from Europe. July- Aug. 



2. P. depressum Xutt. Plants prostrate, 1 to 2% in. broad with slender 

 stems; leaves spatulate, varying to obovate, obtuse or acute, % to 2 lines long; 

 flowers % as large as in the preceding; sepals little if at all keeled, about % 

 line long; petals white, membranous, linear, t£ as l° n g as f ne sepals. 



Pajaro Hills; Southern California. 



11. LOEFLINGIA L. 



Low rigid annuals, dichotomously branched from the base, with subulate 

 leaves and setaceous stipules. Flowers small, sessile in the axils. Sepals acu- 

 minate or awn-tipped, the outer with a tooth on each side. Petals 3 to 5, min- 

 ute or none. Stamens 3 to 5. Style short or none. Capsule 3-valved, several- 

 seeded. (Peter Loefling, Swedish traveler of the 18th century.) 



1. L. squarrosa Xutt. Glandular-pubescent, diffusely branched from base, 

 2 to 5 in. high; leaves subulate, cuspidate, squarrose-spreading, 2 to .'! lines 

 long: capsule shorter than the sepals. 



Lower Sacramento; lower San Joaquin at Oakdale. 



12. HERNIARIA L. 

 Ours a very small annual, with minute scarious stipules. Flowers minute. 



