38 PORTULACACE^:. (PURSLANE FAMILY.) 



2. H. ericoides, L. Hoary-pubescent ; stem erect, 6' high ; leaves sub 

 ulate, erect, or loosely imbricated ; peduncles about as long as the flowers ; 

 sepals barely acute ; capsule pubescent, mostly 3-seeded. Coast of North 

 Carolina, and northward. May. 



3. H. tomentosa, Nutt. Tomeutose, intricately branched, 6' high ; 

 leaves minute, ovate-lanceolate, closely imbricated ; flowers nearly sessile ; 

 sepals obtuse, the outer ones minute ; capsule smoothish, mostly 1-seeded. 

 Coast of North Carolina, and northward. May. 



ORDER 15. POKTULACACE^E. (PURSLANE FAMILY.) 



Succulent plants, with entire leaves and regular hypogynous or 

 perigynous flowers. Sepals 2 - 5. Petals 3 - 6, imbricated in the bud, 

 sometimes wanting. Stamens as many as the petals and opposite 

 them, or indefinite. Styles 3-G, mostly united below, stigmatic 

 along the inside. Capsule 1-5-celled, few - many-seeded. Seeds 

 campylotropous, erect from the base of the cell, or attached to a cen- 

 tral placenta. Embryo slender, curved around mealy albumen. 



Synopsis. 



1. CLAYTONIA. Petals and stamens 5. Capsule 3-valved, 3- 6-seeded. 



2. TALINUM. Petals 5. Stamens 10-30. Capsule 3-valved, many-seeded. 



3. PORTULACA. Petals 5 - G. Stamens 8 - 20. Capsule circumscissile. 



1. CLAYTONIA, L. SPRING-BEAUTY. 



Sepals 2, free, persistent. Petals r>, hypogynous. Stamens 5, inserted on 

 the claws of the petals. Style 3-cleft. Capsule 1 -celled, 3-valved, 3 - 6-seeded. 

 Smooth herbs, with a simple stem bearing two opposite leaves and ter- 

 minated with a loose raceme of pale rose-colored veiny flowers. Root 

 tuberous. 



1. C. Virginica, L. Leaves long (3'- G'), linear, acutish ; petals mostly 

 emarginate, but sometimes acute. Damp rich soil in the upper districts. 

 March. Plant 4' - 1 0' long. 



2. C. Caroliniana, Michx. Leaves short (l'-2'), ovate-lanceolate or 

 <hlong, tapering at the base, obtuse; petals obtuse. Mountains of North 

 Carolina. March - April. Smaller than the last. 



2. TALINUM, Adans. 



Sepals 2, free, deciduous. Petals 5, hypogynous. Stamens 10-30. Style 

 3-lobed. Capsule 3-celled at the base, 3-valved, many-seeded. Smooth and 

 fleshy herbs, with alternate leaves and cymose flowers. 



1. T. teretifolium, Pursh. Stem thick, leafy ; leaves linear-cylindrical ; 

 cymes on long peduncles ; petals purple, fugacious. Hocks, North Carolina. 

 June- August, y. Stems 2' -4' long. Peduncles 5'- 8' long. 



