142 Portulacaceae 



or lesss united at base, usually slightly unequal. Sta- 

 mens 3-5, inserted on the corolla opposite the lobes. 

 Ovary 3-ovuled. Capsule 3-valved, 3-seeded. 



1. M. perfoliata (Bonn) Howell. Scapose stems 10-30 cm. 

 high; leaves long petioled, oblanceolate to ovate or deltoid; 

 involucral bracts completely joined, forming a perfoliate disk ; 

 flowers in short or rather long peduncled racemes ; sepals ovate, 

 2-3 mm. long; petals 3-5 mm. long, white or rose color; seeds 

 lenticular, black and shining, minutely granular. (Claytonia 

 perfoliata Donn.) 



Common in moist shady places below 4000 feet altitude. February-May. 



2. M. spathulata (Dougl.) Howell. Low and rather dense, 

 3-10 cm. high ; radical leaves linear or spatulate-linear, little ex- 

 ceeded by the flowering stems; cauline leaves from spatulate- 

 ovate to lanceolate, almost distinct or connate upon one side into 

 an obcordate or 2-lobed involucre; inflorescence 1-2 cm. long; 

 flowers small; petals 2-4 mm. long; seeds black, shining, granu- 

 lated. (Claytonia spathulata Dougl.) 



Kings Canyon, Davidson. May. 



4. PORTTJLACA L. PURSLANE. 



Low succulent prostrate or ascending herbs with alter- 

 nate or opposite leaves and scarious or setaceous stipules. 

 Flowers axillary or terminal, ephemeral, (ours) yellow. 

 Sepals 2, coherent at the base into a tube and adnate to 

 the base of the ovary, the free upper portion at length 

 deciduous. Petals 4-6. Stamens 4-20, perigynous with 

 the petals. Style 1, deeply 3-8-cleft. Capsule circum- 

 scissile near the middle, many-seeded. 



1. P. oleracea L. Stems prostrate, 1-5 dm. long; leaves 

 fleshy, glabrous, obovate to spatulate, rounded at the apex ; flowers 

 sessile, axillary; stipules minute; sepals acute, carinate ; petals 

 yellow, 2-4 mm. long; stigmas 5; capsule 6-10 mm. long; seeds 

 dull black, finely tuberculate. 



Cultivated grounds and waste places. May-August. 



