134 



POrrLAR ILOHA. 



licrbs : Rome are insij^mificaiit weeds ; others have handsome flowers, nnd are cultivated 

 loiMiriiaiiicnt. Tliey form twomaiu sub-families, one containing the Pinks, tlie otlier the 

 Chickweed.s. For hick of room, only the principal genera can be given here, witlioiit 

 tlie .species, winch are numerous. 



I. riNK SUBFAMir.V. .Sepals united into a tube or cup. Petals with long claws, whidi are en- 

 closetl in tlie tube of tlie calyx. The petals anil the lo stamens are generally raised more or less on a 

 nt;ilk within the calyx. Pod many-seeded, opening at the top. Flowers mostly rather large and showy. 



Calyx fuiiiishfd witli 2 or more scaly hractlets at the base. Styles 2. 

 Calyx naked, i.f., without any bractlets at the ba.se. 

 Styles 2. t'alyx cylindrical and even, 

 .Styles 2. C.ilyx ohlong and strongly 5-angled, 

 Styles 3. Calyx 5-toothed, 

 Styles 5. 



Calyx with .short teeth, which are not leaf-like. 



Calyx with leafy lobes, which are longer than the petals, 



(DidiithiiKj * Pink. 



{S<ipnn('()'ia) Soapwort. 



(Vacairia) Cownr.HH. 



{Si/enc) Catch Ki-Y. 



(Liirhiiix) *IiYrHN'is. 



( Auri>.it('iii Did) Cockle. 



II. CMICKWEED SrHl'AMIl.V. .Sepals separate or nearly so. Petals without claws, spreading, 

 Rnmetimes wanting, Smidl or low herbs ; numy are weeds. Flowers small, mostly white, except in 

 Siind-Spurrey. 



1*0 1 3-celled, many-seeded. Petals none. Prostrate annual weed, {MnJIiliio) Cakpktwekd. 



Pod I -celled, with several or many seeds. Styles 3 to 5. 

 Stipules or little scales between the leaves nime. 

 Petals 2-cleft or i);irteil, or notchetl at the end. 



Styles and petals 5. I'od opening by 10 teeth, {Ccrastium) MorsK-KAR Chickweei). 

 Styles 3 or 4. Pod splitting into valve-s, (S'cllt'iriu) Chickweeo. 



Petals entire, not notched nor cleft. 



Styles 3, fewer than the potal.s, {Arem'trid) Sandwort. 



Styles 5 or 4, as many as the petals, (Soi/lna) I'kariavout. 



Stipules in the form of scales between the bases of the leaves. 



Styles 3. Leaves not whorled. Petals jmrple, (SjKVijuIarifi) Sand-Spcrrev. 



Styles 5. Leaves in whorls, narrow. Petals white, (.'Sjn'ryn/u) Spurrey. 



, 



' 



ill. 



16. PURSLANE FAMILY. Order rORTULACACE.E. 



More or less llcsliy herbs, witli entire leaves, and llowers which open oidy in .sun.shine. 

 Sei)als fewer than the petals (i.e., sepals 2, petals 5), with a stamen before eai'h one, or 

 else witli many .stamens. Pod i-celled, with the seeds, like those of the Pink family, on 

 stalks ri.sing from the base of the cell. Harmless and tasteless herbs ; the Spring-Beauty 

 lias handsome llowers in the spring in woods. The common Pur.slane is a well-known gar- 

 den weed and pot-herb, and the Great-flowered Purslane, with its cylindrical tiesby leaves 

 and large red or .«cailet llowers, is a common ornamental annual in cultivation. 



Calyx 2-cleft, the tube united with the lower part of the ovary. Petals opening only 

 once. Stamens 7 to 20. Pod many-seeded, opening round the middle, the top 

 falling olf as a lid. Annuals. {Pttrtulaca) Purslane. 



