Collomia
(from kolla, glue; in reference to the seeds being enveloped in a mucilaginous substance, of a most remarkable character). ORD. Polemoniaceoe. This genus is allied to Gilia, and contains about a dozen species of very pretty hardy annuals. Flowers disposed in dense heads, propped by broad, ovate, quite entire bracts; corolla salver-shaped. Leaves alternate, the lower ones rarely opposite, rarely pinnatifid. They are of very easy culture in ordinary soil, and may be treated like Collinsia (which see).
C. Cavanillesii (Cavanilles'). A synonym of C. grandiflora.
C. coccinea (scarlet).* fl. deep red; corolla more than twice as long as the calyx. June to October. l. lanceolate linear; upper ones ovate-lanceolate, quite entire, or deeply two to four-toothed at the apex. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Plant erect, branched, beset with glandular down. Chili, 1831. SYN. C. Cavanillesii. (B. R. 1622.)
C. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl. of a very uncommon reddish-yellow colour, disposed in hemispherical, pruinose, clammy heads; corolla ventricose. June to October. l. oblong-lanceolate, entire, shining, ciliated with glands. Plant erect, branched, rather downy at top. h. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. North-west America, 1826. (B. R. 1174.)
C. heterophylla (various-leaved). fl. purplish, few, in sessile heads. Summer. l. alternate, petiolate, deeply and doubly pinnatifid; the segments lanceolate, rather acute, pubescent. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. North-west America, 1828. (B. M. 2895.)
C. linearis (lined). fl. yellowish-brown, in dense, sessile, terminal heads, surrounded by an involucre of the uppermost leaves. May to July. l. linear-lanceolate, lanceolate, or broadly lanceolate, the shorter ones almost ovate, alternate, patent, sessile, waved, entire. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. North-west America, 1828. An erect, much-branched annual. (B. M. 2893.)