ORDER XXI. PORTULACACE.E PURSLANE-FAMILY. OEDER XXHT. MALVACEJE MALLOW-TRIBE. 



143 



1. S. annuOs. Knawel. 



Slightly pubescent ; stem procumbent, branching, tnfted ; leaves numerous, 

 narrow- linear, acute, opposite, partially united at base ; flowers small, greenish, 

 nearly sessile, in leafy axillary clusters. A common litt'e weed in dry foils. 

 Stems 2' 4' long. June July. 



13. MOLLfTGO. 



Sepals 5, united at base. Petals none. Stamens 5, sometimes 

 3 10. Styles 3. Capsule 3-valved, 3-celled, many-seeded. An. 



1. M. verticillata. Carpet-weed. 



Stem branched, depressed ; leaves spatnlatc, entire, arranged in apparent 

 verticils of 5 at each joint; flowers greenish-white, axillary, pedunculate; sta- 

 mens mostly a A very common weed in cultivated grounds, spreading flat on 

 the surface, making a sort of carpet July Sep. 



ORDER XXI. Portulacacese. Purdane- 



famUy. 

 \. PORTULACA. 



Sepals 2, united below ; the upper portion deciduous. Petals 

 4 6, equal Stamens 8 20. Styles 3 6 cleft at apex. Cap- 

 sule a pyxis, sub-globose, dehiscing near the middle, many-seeded. 

 An. 



1. P. oleracea. Purslane. 



Stem thick and fleshy, very branching, prostrate, spreading; leaves cunei- 

 form, sessile ; flowers pale yellow, sessile ; petals 5, cohering at base ; foliage of 

 a reddish-green color. A very common and exceedingly troublesome weed tn 

 cultivated grounds and waste places. Introduced. JuneJuly. 



2. P. pilusa. Scarlet Purslane. 



Stem exceedingly diffuse, purple ; branches subcrect, enlarged upwards ; 

 leaves linear, obtuse, with tufts of long hair in the axils ; flowers large, terminal, 

 sessile, solitary, or seven! together, surrounded by leaves, and dense tufts of 

 hair; petals coherent at base, scarlet or purple. A brilliant species, native at 

 the south-west, common In cultivation. July Aug. 



t. CLAYTONIA. 



Sepals 2, persistent Petals 6, hvpogynons, emarginate or 

 obtuse. Stamens 5, inserted on the cfaws of the petals. Stigma 

 /cleft. Capsule 3-valved, 2 5-ceded. Per. 



1. C. Virginica. 



Spring Beauty. 



Stem simple, rather succulent, glabrous; leaves opposite, linear, tapering 

 oelow with petioles ; flowers white, veined with purple. In a terminal raceme, 

 r nodding pedicels; sepals rather acute; petals mostly emarginate. 

 A handsome little plant 4' 8' high, arising from a root buried deep In the 

 ground. Stem with 2 opposite leaves. Low grounds. Rare in N. Eng. but 

 common westward. 



2. C. Caroliniana. 



Spring Beauty. 



Smooth, somewhat succulent ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, somewhat spatulate 

 at bate or abruptly decnrrent Into the petiole ; radical ones few, spatnlate ; 

 flowera smaller than In the last, roue-color, veined with purple. In a terminal 

 raceme, with slender nodding pedicels; sepals and petals very obtuse; root 

 tuberous, deep In the ground. A delicate species smaller than the last, common 

 In certain districts. Ap.May. 



ORDER XXII. Mesembryanthemacese. Ice- 

 plant-family. 



1. MESEMBKYANTIIEMTJM. 



Sepals 4 8, usually 5. Petals numerous, in many rows. 

 Stamens nun lolled to the calyx. Ovaries many-celled. 



Seeds numerous. Per. 



1. M. crystallinum. Ice-plant. 



Stem creeping ; leaves ovate, acute, wavy, frosted, 8-vclned beneath ; flow- 

 en white, appearing through the summer. A biennial plant common In honso 

 cultivation. The stem and follagt are covered with warty foot-like protnbcr- 



2. M. cordifolium. 



Stem procumbent, spreading; leaves cordate-ovate, opposite, petolato 

 flowers pink ; calyx thick, green. A succulent, fleshy plant, common iu housi 

 cultivation. 



OKDER XXIII. Malvaceae. Mallow-tribe. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENEEA. 

 * Calyx with an involncel at base. 



1. MJLLVA. Calyx with a 8 -leaved involucel. Carpels separating when 

 ripe. 



2. Ai.TitfA. Calyx with a 6 9-cleft involucel. Carpels separating when 

 ripe. 



8. UiBi&ccs. Calyx with a many-cleft Involucel. Carpels united into a 5- 

 celled capsule. 



** Calyx without an involucel. 



4, ABthiLON. Capsule of 5, or more, separate carpels. 



1. MALVA. 



Calyx 5-cleft, with an involucel, mostly of 3 leaves. Carpels 

 several, 1-celleJ, 1-sccded, dry, indehiscent, circularly arranged. 



1. M. rotundifolia. Low Hallow. 



Stems prostrate, branching ; leaves on long, pubescent petioles, orbicular, 

 cordate at base, obtusely 5-lobed, crenate, thin : flowers axillary, pedicellate, palo 

 pink, or whitish ; pedicels reflexod In fruit; petals twice as long as the acute 

 segments of the calyx, deeply notched ; Involucre 8-leaved ; fruit spherical, de- 

 pressed In the centre, mucilaginous, and called " cheeses " by children on ac- 

 count of the shape. Introduced into cultivated grounds and waste places. 

 May Sep. Per. 



2. M. sylvestris. Garden Mallow. 



Stem erect; leaves S T-lobed ; lobes acutlsh ; peduncles and petioles hairy ; 

 flowers large, reddish-purple. A common garden plant, sometimes naturalized 

 in the Middle States, growing 8 feet high. June Oct. Per. 



3. M. crispa. High Mallow. 



Stem erect, simple ; leaves angularly lobed and toothed, frilled, smooth , 

 flowers small, white, axillary, sessile. A tall plant, 56 feet high, of no beauty. 

 In gardens, sometimes naturalized In waste places. June Aug. An. 



2. ALTHJ5A. 



Calyx surrounded by a & 9-cleft involucel. Carpels numer- 

 ous, indehiscent, arranged circularly around the axis, separating 

 when ripe. 



1. A. officinalis. Marsh Mallow. 



Stem erect, downy; leaves alternate, softly tomentose on both sides, cordata 

 or ovate, 3-lobed, or sometimes entire ; peduncles much shorter than the leaves, 

 many flowered; flowers large pate purple, axillary and terminal; root as well 

 as the rest of the plant, mucilaginous ; stem about 2 foot high. Borders of sail 

 marshes. Introduced. Aug. Sfp. Per. 



2. A. r6sea. Hollyhock. 



Stem erect, hairy ; leaves rough, cordate, 6 7-anglcd ; flowers large, axillary, 

 sessile. A common garden biennial, 6 S feet high. Flowers red, parplo 

 white, or yellow, and all intermediate tints, often double. 



a HIBISCUS. 



Calyx 6-cleft, surrounded by a many-leaved involucel. Stig 

 mas S. Carpels 5, united into a 5-celled capsule. Cells several 

 seeded. 



1. H. MoscheiHos. Marsh Hibiscus. 



Stem simple, erect, terete, downy ; leaves ovate, acuminate, serrate, offei 

 8-lobed, hoary'-tomentose beneath, somewhat rough and pnbescent above ; pc 

 dnncles long, axillary, or united to the petioles ; flowers very large, 3' in diamo 

 ter, rose-color, crimson in the centre, solitary ; petals obovatc, retuso ; style 

 much longer than the stamens. A splendid plant 8 6 feet high, growing on thi 

 borders of marshes, especially near the sea. Aug. Sep. Per. 



2. H. Syriacus. Althcea. 



Leaves cuneiform, 8-lobod, toothed ; flowers delicate, large, purple, axillary 

 on peduncles scarcely longer than the petiole, solitary ; varieties have white, 

 red, and variegated flowers. A fine shrub, 5 10 feet high, hardy when it hal 

 attained its full size, but rather tender when young. July Sfp. 



