EVENING-PRIMROSE FAMILY. 



331 



Elmira (where first collected by Mrs. K. Brandegee); Antioch; 

 between Oakdale and La Grange, Jepxon. The shallow vernal pools 

 of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys are quickly dried up in 

 the first month of summer. After the water has disappeared these 

 dry beds support a peculiar flora, one species being the plant here 

 described which deserves much further study. The square capsules 

 with the sharp angles and distinct septal lines recall the fruits of 

 certain species of Godetia; they also resemble those of Gaura in 

 certain particulars. 



6. CLARKIA Pursh. 

 Erect annuals with brittle stems and alternate leaves. Flowers 

 showy, in terminal racemes (nodding in the bud). Calyx-tube above 

 the ovary obconical or much prolonged and almost filiform, its lobes 

 reflexed in flower or remaining united and turned to one side. Petals 

 4, purple or rose-color, with claws, the limb entire or lobed. Stamens 

 typically 8, those opposite the petals often sterile and rudimentary, or 

 wanting. Ovary 4-celled; style elongated, the stigma with 4 broad 

 lobes. Capsule linear, or attenuate above, straight or somewhat 

 curved, coriaceous, somewhat 4-angled, 4-valved. Seeds numerous, 

 angled or margined. The lower leaves in this and in the two suc- 

 ceeding genera often disappear very early. (In honor of Captain 

 Clarke of the Lewis & Clarke party, first expedition across the Eocky 

 Mountains to the Pacific, 1800.) 



Petals entire; calyx-tube short, obconical, 1% lines long; stamens 8.— 

 Subgenus Etjclarkia. 

 Claw broad and short, much shorter than limb of petal, often toothed . . 



1. C. rhomboidea. 



Claw about as long as limb of petal, not toothed 2. C. eleacmi. 



Petals lobed; calyx-tube almost filiform above the ovary, % to 1^ in. long; 

 stamens 4, those opposite the petals wanting.— Subgenus Euchariditm. 



Petals 3-lobed, the lobes nearly equal 3. C. concinna. 



Petals fan-shaped and obcordate, a linear or spatulate lobe proceeding 

 from the deep sinus and exceeding in length the lateral lobes, which 

 are several times larger 4. C. Brtiveri. 



1. C. rhomboidea Dougl. Erect, 1 to 3 ft. high, more or less 

 branching, finely puberulent; leaves oblong to ovate, the blades entire, 

 5 to 1} in. long, on petioles j in. long, more or less; calyx-tube above 

 ovary obconic, 1£ lines long; calyx-lobes narrowly linear, carinate; 

 petals rose-purple, often purple-dotted toward the base, rhomboidal, 

 3 to 5 lines long, the limb with a short broad often toothed claw; fila- 

 ments with whitish hairy scales at base, those alternating with the 

 petals with longer scales; capsule sessile or very shortly pediceled, 

 commonly somewhat curved, 1 in. long. 



Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges, from the foothills to middle 

 altitudes: Mt. Hamilton; Mt. Diablo; Lake Co., etc. Last of May- 

 July. 



2. C. elegans Dougl. Habit similar to the preceding; herbage 

 often reddish; leaves narrowly ovate, sometimes repand-denticulate, 

 short-petioled; calyx-lobes broadly linear, plane; petals entire, about 

 8 lines long, the limb about equaling the narrow entire claw; each 



