262 



Minnesota Plant Life. 



])lant-bo(ly. The leaves are in wlimis. a character l)y which 

 this plant' can be distinguished from other mat-plants of waste 

 fields. The flowers are small borne in the axils of the leaves, 

 and witlunit petals. The car])etweed grows in the same re- 

 gions that many mat- 

 grasses, mat-knotweeds, 

 purslanes and mat-spur- 

 g-es select. 



Purslanes and spring- 

 beauties. Of the purs- 

 lanes three genera are na- 

 tive to the state : the com- 

 mon purslane or "pus- 

 ley," a prevalent weed in 

 dooryards and gardens, 

 the rock inu'slane. ap- 

 pearing upon ledges of 

 granitic rock in the Min- 

 nesota valley, at Taylor's 

 Falls and at 1 )nluth, and 

 the spring-beauties or Clayfouias, of 

 which there are three varieties. In 

 the state there are two species of 

 ])urslane : the connnon garden form 

 with leaves round at the end, and 

 the notched purslane with k'a\cs 

 notched at the end. The latter 

 plant is doubtless a native of Min- 

 nesota, while the former is a recent 

 immigrant. Purslane is one of the 

 most connnon of the mat-])UuUs and 

 is remarkable for the mnnerous 

 flowers which it ])ro(lnces in a sea- 

 son and for the little ])ods which 

 ojien b\ a lid. re\ealing a large 

 number of small seeds within. The rock pin-slane is a dimin- 

 utive herb found growing in the cre\ices of granitic or eruptive 

 rocks, especially in the .Minnesota valley between New IMni and 

 ]V\ii: Stone lake. The sUmu bears ;ii the base a few alternate. 



I-h;. l-,';i. Si)iiii.u-lK.:nUy in flower. 

 .■\ftti .\lkiiison. 



