

94 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



and Ontario to Minnesota, Arkansas, Florida, Mexico and Bermuda. 

 Europe has contributed many weeds to America, but the Pokeweed or 

 Scoke is one of the few American plants, often reckoned as a weed, which 

 has become thoroughly naturalized in many parts of Europe. 



Purslane Family 



Portulacaceae 

 Narrow-leaved Spring Beauty 



Claytonia virginica Linnaeus 



Plate 51 a 



Stems 6 to 1 2 inches long, ascending or decumbent from a deep, tuber- 

 ous, perennial root. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, glabrous and some- 

 what fleshy, blunt or pointed, narrowed below into a petiole, the lower 

 leaves 3 to 7 inches long, one-eighth to one-half of an inch wide, the two- 

 stem leaves opposite and shorter. Flowers one-half to seven-eighths of an 

 inch broad, white or pink with darker pink veins, in a loose terminal raceme, 

 often becoming 3 to 6 inches long. Sepals two, ovate, persistent; petals 

 five, emarginate; pedicels slender, becoming recurved. 



In moist woods, Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan, south to Georgia, 

 Montana and Texas. Flowering in early spring. More frequently found 

 in low woodlands and along streams in the upper part of the State, and not 

 so frequent as the next species except near the coast. 



Carolina or Wide-leaved Spring Beauty 



Claytonia caroliniana Michaux 



Plate 693 



Closely resembling the Narrow-leaved Spring Beauty, but usually 

 more erect. Basal leaves ovate-lanceolate or oblong, i to 4 inches long, 

 one-half to i inch wide, obtuse; stem leaves petioled; flowers fewer. The 

 corm is usually thicker and depressed at the top. 



In damp woods, Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan, Connecticut, south to 

 North Carolina along the mountains, and to Ohio and Missouri. Rare or 

 absent near the coast in New York, but very abundant in the interior where 

 it occurs in almost every moist woodland. Flowering in the early spring. 



