15. Œ. Hartwègi, Benth., var. lavandulæfòlia, Watson. Stems numerous from a woody base, 3–6´ high; leaves numerous, hoary-puberulent, mostly linear, ¼–1´ long; calyx-tube 1–2´ long; capsule 8–10´´ long.—Central Kan. to Col. and N. Mex.
16. Œ. serrulàta, Nutt. Slender (3–15´ high), simple or branched, canescent or glabrous; leaves linear to lanceolate (1–3´ long), irregularly and sharply denticulate; calyx-tube broadly funnnelform (2–4´ long), strongly nerved; petals broadly obovate (3–4´´ long), crenulate; capsule 9–15´´ long.—Wisc. and Minn. to Mo., Tex., and N. Mex.
5. GAÙRA, L.
Calyx-tube much prolonged beyond the ovary, deciduous; the lobes 4 (rarely 3), reflexed. Petals clawed, unequal or turned to the upper side. Stamens mostly 8, often turned down, as is also the long style. A small scale-like appendage before the base of each filament. Stigma 4-lobed, surrounded by a ring or cup-like border. Fruit hard and nut-like, 3–4-ribbed or angled, indehiscent or nearly so, usually becoming 1-celled and 1–4-seeded. Seeds naked.—Leaves alternate, sessile. Flowers rose-color or white, changing to reddish in fading, in spikes or racemes, in our species quite small (so that the name, from γαῦρος, superb, does not seem appropriate).
[*] Fruit sessile or nearly so.
1. G. biénnis, L. Soft-hairy or downy (3–8° high); leaves oblong-lanceolate, denticulate; spikes wand-like; fruit oval or oblong, acute at both ends; 2–3´´ long, ribbed, downy.—Dry banks, N. Y. to Minn., and southward. Aug.
2. G. parviflòra, Dougl. Soft-villous and puberulent, 2–5° high; leaves ovate-lanceolate, repand-denticulate, soft-pubescent; spikes dense; fruit oblong-clavate, narrowed to both ends, 4-nerved, obtusely angled above, 3–4´´ long.—Mo. to La. and westward.
3. G. coccínea, Nutt. Canescent, puberulent or glabrate (6–12´ high), very leafy; leaves lanceolate, linear-oblong or linear, repand-denticulate or entire; flowers in simple spikes, rose-color turning to scarlet; fruit terete below, 4-sided and broader above, 2–3´´ long.—Minn. to Kan., and westward.
[*][*] Fruit slender-pedicelled.
4. G. fílipes, Spach. Nearly smooth; stem slender (2–4° high); leaves linear, mostly toothed, tapering at base; branches of the panicle very slender, naked; fruit obovate-club-shaped, 4-angled at the summit.—Open places, Va. to Fla., west to Ill., Kan., and Ark.