PURSLANE FAMILY 



VOL. II.] 



i. Claytonia Virginica L. Spring 

 Beauty. (Fig. 1429.) 



Claytonia Virginica I,. Sp. PI. 204. 1753. 



Ascending or decumbent, perennial from a 

 deep tuberous root, stem 6 / -i2 / long, simple or 

 rarely with a few branches. Leaves elongated, 

 linear, or linear-lanceolate, obtuse or acute, nar- 

 rowed into a petiole, the basal 3 / -7 / long, i // - 

 6 // wide, the cauline shorter and opposite; ra- 

 ceme terminal, loose, at length 5 / ~5 / long, some- 

 what secund; flowers white or pink, with darker 

 pink veins, 6 // -io // broad; pedicels slender, at 

 length I'-iJ^' long and recurved; petals emar- 

 ginate; capsule shorter than the sepals. 



In moist woods, Nova Scotia to the Northwest Ter- 

 ritory, south to Georgia and Texas. Very variable 

 in the breadth of leaves. Ascends to 2400 ft. in 

 Virginia. March-May. 



2. Claytonia Caroliniana Michx. 



Carolina Spring Beauty. 



(Fig. 1430.) 



Claytonia Caroliniana Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: 

 1 60. 1803. 



Similar to the preceding species but some- 

 times more nearly erect. Basal leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate or oblong, 1/4'-$' l n g. 6 // -o/ / 

 wide, obtuse; stem-leaves on petioles 3 // -6 // 

 long; flowers fewer. 



In damp woods, Nova Scotia to the Northwest 

 Territory, south to North Carolina along the 

 Alleghanies, and to Ohio and Missouri. Ascends 

 to 5000 ft. in Virginia. March-May. 



Claytonia lanceolata Pursh, a related species, 

 with sessile shorter stem-leaves, occurs from the 

 Rocky Mountain region to the Pacific Coast, and 

 probably in the extreme western portion of our 

 territory. 



3. Claytonia Chamissoi L,edeb. 



Chamisso's Claytonia. 



(Fig. 1431.) 



Claytonia C/iamissoiJ<ede'b.; Spreng. Syst. Veg. 

 1:790. 1825. 



Minitia Chatnissonis Greene, Fl. Fran. 180. 



1891. 



Annual, glabrous, stoloniferous at the base, 

 stems weak, ascending or procumbent, 3 / -o/ 

 long. Leaves spatulate or oblanceolate, ob- 

 tuse, narrowed into a petiole or sessile, i / -2 / 

 long, 3 // -5 // wide; flowers few, pink, race- 

 mose, 3 // -4 // broad; pedicels slender, 4 // -i5 // 

 long, recurved in fruit; capsule very small. 



In wet places, Minnesota to British Columbia 

 and Alaska, south in the Rocky Mountains to 

 New Mexico, and to California. May-June. 



