ELLISIA.
Ellisia chrysanthemifolia, Benth. Baby-eyes or Waterleaf Family.
More or less hairy. Stems.—Loosely branching; a foot or so high. Leaves.—Mostly opposite; auricled at base; twice- or thrice-parted into many short, small lobes. Flowers.—In loose racemes; white; three lines or so across. Calyx.—Five-cleft; without appendages at the sinuses; almost equaling the corolla. Corolla.—Open-campanulate; having ten minute scales at base within. Stamens.—Five. Ovary.—One-celled; globose. Style slender; two-cleft. Hab.—San Francisco to San Diego.
These little plants, with delicately dissected leaves, are common in moist, shaded localities; but, unfortunately, their foliage has a very strong odor, which just escapes being agreeable. Their general aspect is somewhat similar to that of some of the small species of Nemophila; but the lack of appendages upon the calyx reveals their separate identity. It blooms freely from March to June, and is especially abundant southward.