194 XXV. ELATINACE^E. 



2. P. PILOSA, /?. Scarlet-flowered Purslane. Sts. ascending, much branched ; 

 branches suberect, enlarged upwards; Ivs. linear, obtuse, the axils villose with 

 long, woolly hairs; fls. terminal, sessile, 1 or few together, surrounded by an 

 irregular circle of leaves and dense tufts of wool ; pet. obovate ; sta. about 15. 

 A very delicate plant, with purple stems, and large, bright purple flowers. 

 P. australis, with broader leaves and scarlet fls. is also popular in house cul- 

 tivation. The species are mostly "natives of S. Africa, j- 



2. CLAYTONIA. 



In memory of John Clayton, a botanist of Virginia. 



Sepals 2, ovate or roundish ; petals 5, emarginate or obtuse ; sta- 

 mens 5, inserted on the claws of the petals ; stigmas 3-cleft ; capsule 

 3-valved, 2 5-seeded. Small, fleshy, delicate, early-flowering plants. 



1. C. CAROLINIANA. Michx. Spring Beauty. 



Lvs. ovate-lanceolate ; sep. and pet. obtuse ; rt. tuberous. 1\. A delicate 

 little plant, flowering in April; common in woods and rocky hills, Can. to N. 

 Car. W. to the Miss. Root a compressed, brown tubercle, buried at a depth in 

 the ground, equal to the height of the plant. Root-leaves very few, if any, 

 spatulate. Stem weak, 2 3' high, with a pair of opposite leaves half-way up, 

 which are 1 2' by i f ', entire, tapering at base into the petiole. Flowers in 

 a terminal cluster, white, with a slight tinge of red, and beautifully penciled 

 with purple lines. Apr. May. 



2. C. VIRGINICA. Virginian Spring Beauty. 



Lvs. linear, or lance-linear; sep. rather acute; pet. obovate, mostly 

 emarginate or retuse ; ped. slender, nodding. 1\. In low, moist grounds, Mid. 

 and S. States. W. to Mo., Everett! rare in N. Eng. Tubercle or cormus as 

 large as a hazelnut, deep in the ground. Stem 6 10' long, weak, with a pair 

 of opposite, very narrow leaves 3 5' long. Flowers 5 10, rose-colored, with 

 deeper colored veins, in a terminal cluster. Sepals acute or obtuse. Petals 

 often elliptical, subacute. Apr. May. 



3. TALI NUM. Adans. 



Sepals 2, ovate, concave, deciduous; petals 5, sessile; stamens 10 

 20, inserted with the petals into the torus ; style trifid ; capsule 

 subglobose, 3-valved, many-seeded. 



1. T. TERETIFOLIUM. 



St. simple or branched, short and thick ; Ivs. terete, subulate, crowded at 

 the summit of the stem, on short branches ; ped, elongated ; fls. in a dichoto- 

 mous cyme; pet. purple. 7J. An interesting little plant, on rocks, Penn. Dr. 

 Darlington ! to Ark. Rhizoma or perennial stem firm and fleshy, with fibrous 

 roots. Branches 1 3' long. Leaves I 2' long, incurved, fleshy. Bracts ovate- 

 lanceolate, minute. Peduncles 5 8' high. Flowers small, ephemeral. Sta- 

 mens about 20. Jn. Aug. 



2. T. PATENS. Spreading-flmvered Talinum. St. erect or decumbent at base, 

 slender; Ivs. ovate, flat, fleshy; panicle terminal, with spreading, dichotomous 

 peduncles. 7J. Native in S. America. A handsome plant, sometimes cultivat- 

 ed. Stem 1 2f high, round, purple, terminating in a naked, spreading pani- 

 cle of small purple flowers. Leaves 2 3' long, tapering to the base. Aug. Oct. 



ORDER XXV. ELATINACEJE. WATER PEPPERS. 



Herbs small, annual, with opposite leaves and membranaceous stipules. Fls. minute, axillary. 



CaL Sepals 26. distinct or slightly coherent at base, persistent. 



Cor. Petals hyposynous, as many as the sepals. 



Sta. equal in number to, or twice as many as the petals. Anth. introrse. 



Ova. 2 6-celled. Stigmas *-5, capitate ; placentas in the axis. 



Fr. capsular. Seeds numerous. 



Genera 6, species 22, found in every part of the globe, growing in marshes. The following is the only 

 northern genus : 



