194 XXV. ELATINACE^. 



2. P. PiLOSA, ^. Scarlet-flowered Purslane. — Sts. ascending, much branched ; 

 branches suberect, enlarged upwards ; Ivs. linear, obtuse, the axils villose with 

 long, woolly hairs; fis. terminal, sessile, 1 or few together, surrounded by an 

 irregular circle of leaves and dense tufts of wool; jiet. obovate ; sto. about 15. — 

 A very delicate plant, with purple stems, and large, bright purple flowers. — 

 P. australis, with broader leaves and scarlet fls. is also popular in house cul- 

 tivation. The species are mostly natives of S. Africa, f 



'/ 2. CLAYTONIA. 



In memory of John Clayton, a botanist of Virginia. 



Sepals 2, ovate or roundish ; petals 5, emarginate or obtuse ; sta- 

 mens 5, inserted on the claws of the petals ; stigmas 3-cleft ; capsule 

 3-valved, 2 — 'S-seeded. — Small., fleshy., delicate., early flowering plants. 



1. C. Caroliniana. Michx. Spring Beauty. 



Lws. ovate-lanceolate ; scp. and pet. obtuse ; rt. tuberous. — % A delicate 

 little plant, flowering in April, common in woods and rocky hills, Can. to N. 

 Car. W. to the Mi.ss. Root a compressed, brown tubercle, buried at a depth in 

 the ground, equal to the height of the plant. Root-leaves very few, if any, 

 spatulate. Stem weak, 2 — 3' high, with a pair of opposite leaves half-way up, 

 which are 1 — 2' by \ — f ', entire, tapering at base into the petiole. Flowers in 

 a terminal cluster, white, with a slight tinge of red, and beautifully penciled 

 with piu'ple lines. Apr. May. 



2. C. ViRGiNiCA. Virginian Spring Beauty. 



Lvs. linear, or lance-linear ; scp. rather acute ; pet. obovate, mostly 

 emarginate or retuse ; pcd. slender, nodding. — % In low, moist grounds. Mid. 

 and S. States. W. to Mo., Ecerett! rare in N. Eng. Tubercle or cormus as 

 large as a hazelnut, deep in the ground. Stem 6 — 10' long, weak, with a pair 

 of opposite, very narrow leaves 3 — 5' long. Flowers 5 — 10, rose-colored, with 

 deeper colored veins, in a terminal cluster. Sepals acute or obtuse. Petals 

 often elliptical, subacute. Apr. May. 



3. TALI NUM. Adans. 



Sepals 2, ovate, concave, deciduous; petals 5, sessile; stamens 10 

 — 20, inserted with the petals into the torus ; style trifid ; capsule 

 subglobose, 3-valved, many-seeded. 



1. T. TERETIFOLIUM. 



St. simple or branched, short and thick ; lvs. terete, subulate, crowded at 

 the summit of the stem, on short branches; ped. elongated; fls. in a dichoto- 

 mous cyme; pet. purple. — Tj. An interesting little plant, on rocks, Penn. Dr. 

 Darlington! to Ark. Rhizoma or perennial stem firm and fleshy, with fibrous 

 roots. Branches 1 — 3' long. Leaves I — 2' long, incurved, fleshy. Bracts ovate- 

 lanceolate, minute. Peduncles 5 — 8' high. Flowers small, ephemeral. Sta- 

 mens about 20. Jn. — Aug. 



2. T. PATENS. — Spread in g-flowered Talinum. — S^. erect or decumbent at base, 

 slender ; lvs. ovate, flat, fleshy ; panicle terminal, with spreading, dichotomous 

 peduncles. — % Native in S. America. A handsome plant, sometimes cultivat- 

 ed. Stem 1 — 2f high, round, piuple, terminating in a naked, spreading pani- 

 cle of small purple flowers. Leaves 2—3' long, tapering to the ba.se. Aug. — Oct. 



Order XXV. ELATINACEiE.— Water Peppers. 



HerTjs small, annual, \v\\\\ opposite leaves and membranaceou.s stipules. Fls. minute, a.xillary- 



C(j'.— .Sepals '2—6. distinct or slightJy coherent at base, persistent. 



Cor. — Petals hyposynous, as many a.": the sepals. 



Sta. equal in number to, or twice as many as the petals. Anth. introrse. 



Ova. 2— 6-celled. Stigmas i— 5, capitate ; placentje in the axis. 



Fr. capsular. Seed.'i numerous. 



Genera 6, species 22, found in cveiT pait of the globe, growins in marshes. The following is the onlsr 

 northern genus : 



