ROCKROSE FAMILY 



ROCKROSE FAMILY 



Lechea minor, L. 



Greenish or magenta-tinted 



Thyme-leaved Pinweed. 

 July-September 



Lechea: for derivation see maritima. 

 Minor: Latin for smaller. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sandy soil of the Commons, 

 and occasionally beach sand. 



THE PLANT: erect, six inches to two feet high, freely 

 branching above ; the branches slender, erect, or somewhat 

 so; the stem more or less hairy. 



THE LEAVES: opposite, or whorled; oval or oblong, at least 

 the upper; one half inch long; the lower decidedly smaller; 

 with silky hairs; acutish or obtuse at the apex; petioled; 

 entire. 



THE FLOWERS: very small, numerous, in rather crowded 

 panicles; the petals persistent within the sepals after 

 fading. 



THE FRUIT: a pod, appearing like a pin-head. 



This compact pin-weed usually grows singly, or, as one 

 might say, individually, and is like a tiny toy Christmas 

 tree. Its numerous leaves are narrow and stand out 

 stiffly from the man r short and somewhat erect branches. 

 Its flowers are tiny and have a magenta tinge. There is 

 little difficulty in distinguishing this tidy plant from its 

 larger and more openly branched sisters. 



Five other members of the Rockrose Family have been 

 reported. 



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