158 CLAYTONIA VIRGINICA. SPRING-BEAUTY. 



Sfenus Claytonia is so distinct in character that there is Httle 

 chance of its ever being merged in some other genus. 



There are about twenty species of Claytouia known at pres- 

 ent, according to the most recent enumeration, and these are 

 chiefly natives of Northwestern America, or of Siberia. The 

 whole order of Poi^hilacacecE, indeed, to which our genus belongs, 

 has but few representatives in the European flora. At the time 

 of Linn^us only two species of Claytouia were known, — C. 

 Sibh'ica, from Eastern Asia, and our American plant, the first 

 acquaintance with which must have been a delightful surprise 

 to Europeans. Certain it is that they took great pleasure in it 

 after it had once been made known to them. Dr. Fothergill, 

 In a letter written to John Bartram in 1772, boasted that he 

 possessed what he believed to be the only plant of Claytouia 

 Viro-iuica in " all Eng-land." Old Peter Collinson was before 

 him, however, for in Darlington's " Memorials " we find a letter, 

 dated April 10, 1767, in which he records the fact that his 

 Claytouia had flowered on April 5. 



Many tuberous-rooted plants produce new tubers every year, 

 and the old ones die ; in others, on the contrary, the tubers, as 

 thickened root-stocks, live on from year to year, and continue 

 to increase in size. We have had no opportunity, however, to 

 ascertain the facts in the case of our plant, but as far as we 

 have examined the roots, they seem to us to have very much 

 the appearance of being perennial. They are usually very deep 

 in the ground, and we dare say that, to many hundreds of 

 those who tro out to orather and admire wild flowers, we shall 

 here be introducing^ the roots for the first time. 



In English works we find the plant spoken of as the " Notch- 

 petal'd Claytouia"; but in American works it is called " Spring- 

 Beauty," with a unanimity quite unusual in the application of 

 common names. It is certainly worthy of the name, for it is very 

 beautiful, and although not the first to flower, it is yet among 

 the earliest harbingers of spring, and gives a great charm to 

 woods and shaded places in April and May. We gathered the 



