Low annual glandular-puberulent diffusely branched herbs, with small subulate or setaceous stipulate leaves and very small sessile flowers, solitary or glomerate in the axil6. Sepals 5, rigid, keeled, acuminate or awn-tipped, the outer ones commonly with a tooth on each side. Petals 3-5, minute or wanting. Stamens 3-5, perigynous. Ovary triangular-pyramidal, I-celled, many-ovuled. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds oblong or obovate, attached near their bases; embryo somewhat curved; cotyledons accumbent. [In honor of Peter Loefling, 1729-1756, Swedish traveler.]

About 5 species, natives of southwestern North America, the Mediterranean region and central Asia. Besides the following, 2 others occur in the southwestern United States. Type species: Loeflingia hispánica L.

1. Loeflingia Texana Hook. Texan Loeflingia

Fig. 1798

Loeflingia texana Hook. Ic. Pl. 3: pl. 275. 1840.

Finely and densely glandular-puberulent, stems much branched, bushy, 3'-6' high, the branches slender, terete, ascending or those bearing flowers secund and recurved. Leaves subulate, 2"-3" long, appressed-ascending; flowers less than 1" broad; sepals nearly or quite straight, the 3 outer ones or all with a setaceous tooth on each side; petals much shorter than the sepals; stamens usually 3; capsule shorter than the calyx; seeds obovate.

In dry soil Nebraska to Texas. April-June.