122 TETRAGONIACE^. 



2. SE.DUM. Linn.— StonecTOTp. 



(From the Latin scdo, to sit ; in allusion to the humble growth of these plants 

 on their native rocks.) 



Sepals usually 5, more or less united at base, ovate, often 



turgid and leafy. Petals 5, often spreading. Stamens twice 



the number of the petals. Carpels 5, many-seeded, with a 



nectariferous scale at the base of each. 



1. S. ternatum Mich.: stem creeping, a little scabrous; leaves flat; the 

 lower ones spatulate-obovate, ternately verticillate ; the upper ones lance- 

 oblong, scattered ; cymes mostly 3-spiked ; terminal flowers decandrous, 

 the rest octandrous, S. partulacoides Muhl. 



Rocks. Can. to Geor. May. %. — Stem 4 — 6 inches long. Leaves from 

 half an inch to an inch long. Flowers white, sessile. 



Purslane-leaved Stonecrop. 



2. S". ielephioides Mich. : stem erect ; leaves ovate or oval, flat, acute at 

 each end, somewhat toothed, smooth and fleshy ; corymb fasciculate, 

 many-flowered. 



Rocks. N. Y. to Car. July. %. — .S^em branching, about a foot high, leafy. 

 Flowers in crowded compound corymbs with leafy bracts interspersed, pale 

 purple, American Orpine. 



3. S. Telephium Linn. : stem erect ; leaves flat, oblong and oval, atten- 

 uate at the base, toothed, smooth ; corymbs leafy ; stamens shorter than the 

 corolla. 



Rocks and fields. Catsldll Mountains ; Orville, Onondaga county, N. Y. 

 Torr. July. '^-. — Stem 1 — 2 feet high. Leaves broad. Flowers purple. In- 

 troduced from Europe. Common Orpine. Live-forever. 



3. PENTHORUM. Linn.—PenthoTum. 



(From the Greek -ntvrtjfive, and o/dos, a border ; in allusion to the five-beaked 

 capsule.) 



Sepals 5, united at base. Petals 5, or none. Stamens 10. 

 Carpels 5, united at the base into a 5 -beaked, 5-celled capsule ; 

 cells opening transversely on the inner side of the beaks. Seeds 

 numerous, minute. 



P. sedoides Linn. : stem branched, angular above ; leaves alternate, lan- 

 ceolate, subsessile, unequally serr? te ; flowers in terminal one-sided spikes 

 or racemes ; seeds numerous, elliptic. 



Overflowed grounds. Can. to Geor. and Louis. ■ July, Aug. %. — Stem 

 12 — 18 inches high. Flowers pale greenish-yellow. 



Sedum-leaved Penthorum. 



Order LIV. TETRAGONIACE^.—Aizoons. 



Calyx 3 — 5-cleft, free or partially adlferent to the ovary. 

 Corolla none. Stamens definite. Ovaiy 2 — 9 -celled ; styles 

 as many as the cells, distinct. Fruit either an indehiscent 



