PORTULACACE^E. 207 



8. Sagina. Sepals 4-5, united at base. Petals 4-5, entire, or 

 none. Stamens 4-5. Capsules 4-5-valved, many-seeded. 



S. PROCUMBENS (Pearlworf). Glabrous; stem slender, procumbent; 

 leaves linear ; flowers small, white or green, axillary ; petals sometimes want- 

 ing ; stamens, sepals, and petals 4-5. In wet, springy grounds. May-July. 



9. Anychia. Sepals 5, ovate-oblong, connivent, subsaccate at the 

 apex. Petals none. Stamens 2-5, inserted on the base of the sepals. 



A. DICHOTOMA (Forked Chickweed). Stem smooth, dichotomously 

 branched, slender ; leaves oval, sessile ; flowers minute, white, axillary, 

 solitary, or in terminal clusters of 3. A delicate, very branching plant, on 

 hill-sides, 4'-8' high. June- August. 



10. Spergula. Sepals 5, nearly distinct. Petals 5, entire. Sta- 

 mens 5-10. Styles 3-5. Capsules ovate, 3-5-valved, many-seeded. 



1. S. ARVENSIS (Corn Spurrey). Stem branching, somewhat viscid; 

 leaves linear, verticillate, 10-20 in a whorl, dark green ; stipules minute ; 

 flowers in terminal cymes ; petals white ; stamens 10 ; styles 5 ; seeds uni- 

 form. In cultivated grounds, i foot high. May-August. 



2. S. RUBRA (Red Corn Spurrey}. Stem decumbent, much branched, 

 smooth ; leaves narrow-linear, somewhat fleshy. Stipules ovate, cleft ; 

 flowers small, solitary, axillary, red, or rose-color, on hairy peduncles. A 

 variable little plant, in dry soils. 



11. Scleranthus. Sepals 5, united at base. Petals none. Sta- 

 mens 10 or 5, inserted at the throat of the calyx. Styles 2. 



S. ANNUUS (Knawel). Stem procumbent, branching, tufted ; leaves 

 numerous, narrow-linear, acute, opposite ; flowers small, greenish, nearly 

 sessile, in leafy clusters. In dry soils, 2'-4' long. June- July. 



12. Mollugo. Sepals 5, united at base. Petals none. Stamens 

 5, sometimes 3-10. Styles 3. Capsule 3-valved, 3-celled, many- 

 seeded. 



M. VERTICILLATA (Carpet-weed}. Stem branched ; leaves spatulate, en- 

 tire, in verticils of 5 ; flowers greenish white, axillary ; stamens mostly 3. 

 A weed in cultivated grounds, spreading flat on the earth. July-September. 



Order XV. PORTULACACE.E {Purslane Family). 



Succulent or fleshy -herbs. Leaves entire. Flowers showy, 

 opening in the sunshine. Sepals 2, often cohering to the ovary. 

 Petals 5, rarely more, ephemeral. Stamens sometimes as many 

 as the petals, and opposite them. Ovary i -celled. Styles 2-8. 

 Fruit a pyxis, or a loculicidal* capsule, with as many valves as 

 there are stigmas. 



( Stamens 5 Claytonia. 

 PORTULACACE^E.- 



( Stamens more than 5 Portulaca. 



