4. Œ. humifùsa, Nutt. Stems decumbent or ascending (½–2° long); hoary-pubescent with short dense appressed hairs; leaves narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate (¼–1´ long), sparingly repand-dentate or entire, the radical leaves pinnatifid, the floral not reduced; capsule ½–1´ long, silky, curved; seeds smooth.—On the sea-coast, N. J. to Fla.
5. Œ. sinuàta, L. Stems ascending or decumbent, simple or branched (1° high or more), more or less strigose-pubescent and puberulent; leaves oblong or lanceolate (1–2´ long), sinuately toothed or often pinnatifid, the floral similar; capsule 1–1½´ long; seeds strongly pitted.—N. J. to Fla., west to E. Kan. and Tex. Very variable.
[*][*] Caulescent perennial; flowers axillary, nodding in the bud, white turning rose-color; capsules sessile, linear; seeds in a single row.
6. Œ. albicaùlis, Nutt. Stems erect (½–4° high), simple or branched, white and often shreddy, glabrous or puberulent; leaves linear to oblong-lanceolate (1–3´ long), entire or repand-denticulate, or sinuate-pinnatifid toward the base; calyx-tips free, throat naked; pods ½–2´ long, often curved or twisted; seeds lance-linear, smooth.—W. Minn. to N. Mex., and westward.
[*][*][*] Caulescent; flowers diurnal, yellow and erect in the bud (except in n. 11); capsules obovate or clavate, quadrangular, the valves ribbed and the angles more or less strongly winged (except in n. 7).
7. Œ. linifòlia, Nutt. Annual or biennial, erect, very slender, simple or diffuse (6–15´ high), glabrous, the branchlets and capsules puberulent; radical leaves oblanceolate, cauline linear-filiform ½–1´ long; spikes loosely flowered; corolla 2–3´´ long; stigmas short; capsules obovate to oblong-clavate, 2–3´´ long, not winged, nearly sessile.—Ill. to E. Kan., La., and Tex.
8. Œ. pùmila, L. Biennial, puberulent, 1–2° high; leaves mostly glabrous, entire, obtuse, the radical spatulate, the cauline narrowly oblanceolate; flowers loosely spiked; corolla 4–12´´ long; capsule glabrous, oblong-clavate, 3–6´´ long, sessile or on a short pedicel, slightly winged. (Incl. Œ. chrysantha, Michx.)—Dry fields, N. Scotia to N. J., west to Minn. and Kan. June.
9. Œ. fruticòsa, L. (Sundrops.) Biennial or perennial, erect, often tall and stout (1–3° high), villous-pubescent or puberulent or nearly glabrous; leaves oblong- to linear-lanceolate, mostly denticulate; raceme corymbed or loose; petals 9–12´´ long; capsule subsessile or with a pedicel shorter than itself, prominently ribbed and strongly winged.—Common and very variable.
Var. lineàris, Watson. Leaves linear to linear-lanceolate; capsule usually shorter than the pedicel, rather less broadly winged. (Œ. linearis of Man., in part. Œ. riparia, Nutt.)—Conn. to Fla., west to Mo. and La.
Var. humifùsa, Allen. Low, decumbent, somewhat woody, diffusely branched, puberulent; branches slender, flexuous; leaves narrow; flowers few, small; capsules pubescent, about equalling the pedicel. (Œ. linearis of Man., in part.)—Suffolk Co., L. Island.