POKTULACACE^. 137 



cannot be ascribed to the different circumstances of growth is in 

 the seeds, which are considerably larger than those of var. a, more 

 inclining to claret-colour, with the tubercles close together and not 

 at all prominent, and from reflecting the light more equally they 

 have a shining appearance. 



Mons. Godron, in the " Flore de Prance," points out that the 

 assemblage of flowers called a cyme, in Montia consists of a central 

 flower and an axillary pseudo-raceme. In the lateral cymes the 

 apparent continuation of the leafy stem is really an axillary branch, 

 as in many other cases of apparently lateral inflorescence. 



TVater Blinks, TFhter Chickweed. 



French, Montie des Fontaines. German, Bach Montie. 



GENUS II.— C LAYTONIA. Zimi. 



Sepals 2 (rarely 3), free or united at the base, persistent, ovate. 

 Petals 5, equal, generally notched or bifid at the apex, with the 

 claws more or less united at the base. Stamens 5, inserted on the 

 claws of the petals. Ovary free. Style 3-cleft. Capsule globose 

 or ovoid, membranous, 3-valved, included in the calyx. Seeds 2 

 to 5, suborbicular-compressed, glabrous and somewhat succulent, 

 often with long-stalked radical leaves and simple flowering stems, 

 usually with a pair of opposite leaves, which are often connate at 

 the base. Plowers white or rose-colour, in pseudo-racemes, which 

 are sometimes branched. 



This genus of plants was named in memory of Mr. J. Clayton, an American 

 botanist, and correspondent of Gronovius. 



SPECIES I.— CLAYTONIA PERPOLIATA. Don. 



Plate CCLX. 

 Bot. Mag. Tab. 1336. 



Annual. Root leaves numerous, rhomboidal, fleshy, on. long 

 petioles. Stem leaves 2, united so as to resemble a single per- 

 foliate leaf. E-aceme with the flowers somewhat whorled, and 

 often 1 or more separate flowers at the base. Petals entire or 

 slightly notched, scarcely longer than the calyx. 



A plant of western North America, but thoroughly natur- 

 alized in many places in England. At Weybridge and Woking, 

 Surrey ; Wanstead, Essex ; Henfield, Sussex. Mr. Bentham also 

 mentions its occurrence in Lancashire and Oxfordshire. 



[England]. Annual. Spring and early Summer. 

 VOL. II. T 



