PORTULACACE^E. 37 



ovate. Leaves terete. Sepals a little shorter than the pod. 

 Petals pale. Seeds usually roughened with points. Sea- 

 coast, Atl. Prov. 



3. B. borea'lis, Watson. (Spergularia me'dia. Presl.) 

 Much branched, glabrous. Petals white. Pod about twice 

 as long as the sepals, nearly or quite smooth. Sea-coast, 

 and N. W. 



9. SPER'GULA, L. SPURREY. 



S. arven'sis, L. (CORN SPURREY.) An annual herb re- 

 sembling a Buda, with numerous thread-like leaves in 

 whorls. Flowers white in panicled cymes. Pod 5-valved. 

 Grain fields, Atl. Prov. (Int. from Eu.) 



ORDER XVII. PORTULACA'CE^E. (PURSLANE F.) 



Herbs with fleshy entire exstipulate leaves, and regular 

 liypogynous or perigynous flowers. Sepals 2. Petals 5. 

 Stamens 5-20. Styles 3-8, united below. Pod 1-ceiled, few 

 or many-seeded. 



Synopsis of the Geucra. 



1. Portula'ca. Stamens 8-20. Pod opening by a lid (Fig. 207, Part I.), 



many-seeded. 



2. Clayto'iila. Stamens 5. Pod 3-valved, 3-6-seeded. 



3. Moii'tia. Stamens usually 3. Petals 5, three of them somewhat 



smaller. Pod 3-valved and 3-seeded. 



1. PORTULA'CA, Tourn. PURSLANE. 



P. Olera'eea, L. (COMMON PURSLANE.) A low fleshy herb, 

 very smooth, with obovate or wedge-shaped leaves. Calyx 

 2-cleft, the sepals keeled. Petals yellow, fugacious. A 

 common pest in gardens. 



2. CLAYTO'NIA, L. SPRING-BEAUTY. 



1. C. ViPgin'iea, L. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 3-6 inches 

 long. 



2. C. Carolinia'na, Michx. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or 

 oblong, tapering at the base. In both species the corolla is 

 rose-coloured, with dark veins. The stem springs from a 

 small tuber and bears two opposite leaves and a loose raceme 

 of flowers. Rich woods in early spring. 



