4. C. tenuifolia (Lindl.): stems short, leafy at the base; segments of the
subradical leaves linear-subulate; peduncles elongated, erect; torus tubular,
with a very short limb; calyx rather obtuse, acuminate.—Eschscholtzia tenuifolia,
Benth.! 1. c.
California, Douglas!—Stature and flowers as in the preceding species.
Benth.
5. C. hypecoides (Lindl.): stems elongated, branched, leafy; segments
of the leaves short, linear-cuneiform; torus tubular, with scarcely any limb;
calyx with a short acumination.—Eschscholtzia hypecoides, Benth. ! 1. c.
California, Douglas /—A small and slender plant. Flowers not one-third
as large as in C. Californica. Resembles Hypecoum grandiflorum. Benth.
.8 DENDROMECON. Benth. in hort. trans. (sir. 2.) 1. p. 407.
Sepals 2. Petals 4. Stamens numerous: filaments filiform: anthers
linear. Stigmas 2, short and rather thick, sessile. Capsule pod-shaped, furrowed,
attenuate at the summit; valves thick and coriaceous or almost
woody, dehiscing from the base to the apex : placentae filiform. Seeds
rather large and numerous, pyriform, smooth.—A branching glabrous shrub,!
(the juice not milky; taste astringent and slightly acid, Nutt.) Leaves
rigid and coriaceous, articulated with the stem, lanceolate or oblong, cuspidate
acuminate, strongly reticulated, denticulate on the margin. Peduncles
axillary, 1-flowered. Flowers large, yellow.
D. rigidum (Benth.! 1. c.)—Hook. ic. t. 37.
Monterey, California, Douglas ! On the summits of mountains near St.
Barbara, N u tta ll!
9. MECONELLA. Nutt. mss.
“ Sepals 3, somewhat pilose. Petals 5-6. Stamens 4-6: filaments membranaceous,
dilated upwards: anthers very short, the cells disjoined. Stigmas
3 (rarely 4), linear, very short, sessile. Capsule pod-shaped, slender, 3-
( rarely 4-) valved: valves flat, 1-nerved, dehiscing from the apex to the base,
not separating from the placenta:. Seeds numerous, smooih and shining,
sUbglobose.—A very small, annual, glabrous and somewhat glaucous herb.
Stems slender, dichotomously branched. Radical leaves in a rosulate cluster,
spatulate; cauline ones linear or linear-spatulate, opposite; the lowermost
ternate, entire. Peduncles axillary, filiform, 1-flowered. Flower very
Small, ochroleucous.”
M. Oregdna (Nutt.! mss.)
Open plains of the Oregon near its confluence with the Wahlamet.
May.—Plant 3-5 inches high. Cauline leaves small. Peduncles 1-3 inches
long. Flowers 2-3 lines wide. Petals oblong-cuneiform, yellow at the base.
Capsules linear, 6-10 lines long. Evidently related to Platystigma.” Nutt.
—This interesting but humble plant seems to stand between Platystemon
and Hypecoum, two genera' (which notwithstanding their anomalies ought
not to be removed from the family,) having apparently little relationship:
it agrees with the latter in its definite stamens, and with the former in the
foliage and floral envelopes, dilated filaments, ,&c. The torus is somewhat
like that of Chryseis ou a very small scale.
10. PLATYSTIGMA. Benth. inhort. trans. 1. c. p. 407; Hook.ic. t. 38.
Sepals 2-3, pilose. Petals 4-6. Stamens numerous: filaments filiform
(Benth. Hook.) [dilated and membranaceous, acute at the apex]: anthers
linear. Stigmas 3, sessile, oval, somewhat spreading. Capsule ovoid-oblong,
attenuate at the base, 3-valved; valves dehiscing from the apex to the
base: placentae filiform. Seeds smooth and shining (roundish kidney-shaped,
Hook.).—A small csespitose annual herb, with the stem abbreviated or
almost none, and mostly radical and crowded, linear, entire, glabrous or
slightly hairy leaves. Peduncles radical or. nearly so, numerous, slender, 1-
flowered, clothed with spreading hairs. Flowers pale yellow, nodding before
expansion.
P. lineare (Benth.! 1. c.)—Hook.! ic. 1.‘C.; Fisch. $ Meyer, ind. sem. St.
Petersb. (Dec. 1835) p. 47; Lindl. bot.reg.t. 1954. ' •
Monterey, California, Douglas!— Scapes a span high. Flowers nearly
as large as in Ranunculus acris : petals obovate.—There is a genus Platystigma
of R. Brown: but we have not the means of ascertaining which has
the priority.—The filaments in' our specimen are manifestly (dilated, and linear
oblong or lanceolate instead of filiform. The same thing is remarked by
Fischer & Meyer, who examined the living plant raised from seeds sent
from the Russian settlement in California. The 3 outer petals, according to
these botanists, are golden yellow with a transverse white band; the inner
ones white with pale yellow claws.
2. Papaveraceoe Ranunculineoe.
11. PLATYSTEMON. Benth. in hort. trans. I. c. p. 405-.
Sepals 3, pilose. Petals 6. Stamens numerous: filaments dilated, membranaceous,
oblong or obcordate : anthers linear. Ovaries 10-14, distinct !
oblong-linear, crowned with a linear sessile stigma. Fruit consisting of 10-
14 distinct, linear, indéhiscent, torulose carpels, which are articulated or
transversely strangulated between each seed. -A small pale-green annual
herb (destituteof colored juice, Nutt.), sparsely clothed with shaggy spreading
hairs. Leaves half-clasping, oblong-linear, obtuse, entire, alternate, 'often
crowded so as to appear opposite or whorled at the origin of the branches
and peduncles, 3-5-nerved. Peduncles axillary, elongated, 1-flowered.
Flower ochroleucous.
P. Californicum (Benth. ! 1: c.)—Lindl.bot. reg. t. 1679; Don, in Brit,
n. gard. (ser. 2.) t. 394; Hook. bot. m.ag. t. 3579.
«. stem somewhat elongated, nearly glabrous ; leaves linear-oblong, very
obtuse ; carpels pilose-hispid.
0. lineare: stem abbreviated; leaves narrowly linear, 1-o-nerved.
leiocarpum: carpels glabrous.—P. leiocarpum, Fisch. $ Meyer, ind.
sem. St. Petersb. (Dec: 1225) p. 47. . . . . . . _
California, Douglas ! Nuttall!—Plant 8-12 inches high. Leaves 1-2.
inches Long, with scattéring hairs' on the nerves and margins. Flower 10-12
lines in diameter when expanded : petals obovate, sometimes orange-yellow
9