268 LOASACEAE. 



1. M. micrantha T. & G. Rough-hispid, at least above; stems simple be- 

 low, oorymbosely and rather compactly dichotomous above; leaves ovate, acute 

 or acuminate, serrate or sinuate-toothed, 1 to 2 in. long or the uppermost 

 roundish, entire, and 4 to 6 lines long; flowers very small, shorter than or 

 scarcely exceeding the broad floral leaves; petals oval or obovate, 1% to - 

 lines Long, twice longer than the calyx-lobes; 5 of the filaments (opposite the 

 sepals) petal-like with emarginate apex; capsule linear, sharply triangular, 3 

 lines long; seeds prismatic with grooved angles, 1 line long, twice as long 

 as broad, 



(oast Range hills from the Santa Cruz Mts. to Mt. Diablo. Clear Lake ace. 

 to Bot. CaL 



2. M. dispersa Wats. Stems usually branching, 9 to 13 in. high, osten- 

 sibly smooth, pubescent under a lens; leaves oblong or ovatish, 1 Vi» in. long 

 or less, entire or sometimes toothed; flowers small, approximate near the ends 

 of the branches; calyx-lobes 1 line long, little shorter than the petals; petals 

 obovate, 2 to 4 lines long; filaments not dilated; capsule linear, 6 or 7 lines 

 long; seeds cubical, minutely mottled, rather acutely angled, as broad as long. 



Montane species: Lower Lake grade to Kelseyville; Mt. Diablo. Also 

 credited to the Sierra Nevada. 



3. M. affinis Greene. Stoutish, simple and leafy below, widely branch- 

 ing above, 1 to 3 ft. high; leaves lanceolate in outline, deeply and often 

 sharply pinnatifid ; flowers 5 or 6 lines broad, numerous but not congested ; 

 calyx-lobes subulate, 2 lines long; capsule linear, subterete, % to nearly 1 in. 

 long, hispid with short stiff white hairs; seeds prismatic with grooved angles. 



San Joaquin Valley plains. 



4. M. gracilenta T. & G. Stem green, sparingly branched, or often simple, 

 % to 1% ft. high; leaves narrowly oblong in outline, pinnatifid into broadly 

 linear lobes or only coarsely sinuate-toothed; upper leaves sometimes disposed 

 to be ovate or lanceolate, somewhat sharply cleft or entire; flowers clustered 

 at the summit; calyx-lobes 2 to 5 lines long; petals obovate or oblanceolate, 

 rounded or retuse at apex, 4 to 6 lines long, yellow; filaments dilated and 

 somewhat united at base; capsule clavate to obconic, 6 to 9 lines long; seeds 

 in 3 rows, prismatic, minutely tuberculate, % line long. 



Los Angeles northward to Monterey Co. (San Antonio River, Brewer). 



5. M. lindleyi T. & G. Slender, simple or branching, 1% to 4 ft. high; 

 leaves ovate to narrowly lanceolate, pectinately pinnatifid or coarsely toothed, 

 2 to 3 in. long; flowers axillary and terminal; calyx-lobes 5 to 9 lines long, 

 broadly lanceolate, acuminate; petals obovate, abruptly acuminate, golden 

 yellow with vermilion base, 1 to 1*4 i n - long; stamens numerous, about three- 

 fourths as long as the petals; filaments very slender, about 15 of the outer 

 ones with somewhat dilated bases; style one, entire; capsule linear-clavate, 

 1 to 1V± in. long; seeds irregularly angular, minutely tuberculate. 



Benicia; South Coast Ranges from Niles to Mt. Day, Corral Hollow and 

 southward to the region of Mt. Hamilton. May-June. Flowers opening in 

 the evening and remaining open during the morning of the next day. Called 

 Buena Mnjer or ''Good Woman" by the Spanish-Californians because the 

 Leaves stick so tightly to one. 



6. M. laevicaulis (Dongl.) T. & Gh BLAZING Star. Stout branching bien- 

 nial, _ to •">'•_' ft. high, with shining white nearly smooth stems; leaves nar- 

 rowly oblong or lanceolate, sinnately toothed, 3 to 7 in. long; flowers in clus- 



