PORTULACACEAE. 93 



in the middle, where is borne a whorl of 5-7 scarious bracts; flowers solitary, 

 rose-colored; sepals 6-8, the inner somewhat petal-like; petals 12-16, oblong, 

 2-3 cm. long. In rocky places where the soil is very thin. The Indians 

 gather the thick starchy roots for food. 



Lewisia nevadensis (Gray) Robinson. Root thick, conical, 2-4 cm. long; 

 leaves all basal, linear, 2-5 cm. long; scapes simple, 2-8 cm. high, with a pair 

 of scarious bracts and 1-3 small white flowers; sepals entire, 7-9 mm. long; 

 petals 6-8; seeds black, smooth and shining. In rock crevices in the Blue 

 Mountains. 



Lewisia triphylla (Wats.) Robinson. Stems 2-8 cm. high, very slender, 

 from a deep-seated small globose corm; cauline leaves linear, usually 3 in a 

 whorl, sessile, 1-5 cm. long; flowers few or many in a loose paniculate cluster; 

 sepals entire; petals 3-10. In the mountains, not common. 



126. MONTIA. 



Low branching glabrous succulent annual herbs; leaves mostly 

 opposite; flowers small, white, nodding, axillary or racemose; 

 sepals 2, ovate, herbaceous, persistent; petals 5, unlike, with two 

 larger and three smaller; stamens 3, alternate with the smaller 

 petals; style very short; stigmas 3. 



Montia fontana L. Stems procumbent or ascending, rooting at the nodes, 

 3-10 cm. high or when aquatic often longer; leaves spatulate or obovate, 

 4-14 mm. long; raceme terminal or axillary, few-flowered; petals white, 2 mm. 

 long, a little longer than the calyx. In wet places and running water. 



127. CLAYTONIA. 



Low and glabrous succulent herbs, annual or perennial, from 

 corms or thickened roots tocks; basal leaves petioled, the cauline 

 opposite or alternate; flowers small, white or rose-colored, in 

 loose terminal racemes, lasting more than one day; sepals 2, 

 ovate, herbaceous, persistent; petals 5, equal; stamens 5; style 

 3-notched or cleft. 



Perennials with thick roots or corms. C. lanceolata. 



Perennials or annuals; roots not corm-like. 



Stems with more than two opposite leaves, or leaves alternate. 



Cauline leaves several pairs, opposite. C. chamissoi. 



Cauline leaves alternate. 



Seeds shining, 2 mm. broad. C. linearis. 



Seeds dull, less than 1 mm. broad. C. dichotoma. 



Stems with only two leaves, these opposite. 

 Cauline leaves united, at least at the base. 



Calyx 4 mm. long; seeds 2 mm. broad. C. perfoliata. 



Calyx 2 mm. long; seeds 1 mm. broad. C. parviflora. 



Cauline leaves not united. 



Pedicels mostly bractless; perennial by rootstocks. C. asarifolia. 



Pedicels mostly with bracts; roots fibrous. 



Perennial, 10-50 cm. high; leaves ovate. C. sibirica. 



Annual, 5-15 cm. high; leaves narrow. C. arenicola. 



