Ord. PORTULACACEiE. 



Herbas (v. frutescentes) succulents, insipidaa, exstipulatte, 

 foliis integerrimis : dicotyledoneas, anisomerae, regulares, hy- 

 pogynas vel perigynaa ; calyce saepius dipetalo, corolla 3-6- 

 petala seu nulla ; asstivatione imbricativo ; staminibus petalis 

 numero asqualibus et antepositis aut indefinitis ; ovulis am- 

 phitropis e placenta centrali ; embryone peripherico annulari 

 vel*hippocrepiformi albumen farinaceum cingente. 



Portulace.e, Juss. Gen. p. 313. (excl. gen.) DC. Prodr. 3. p. 351. 



Fenzl, in Ann. Wien. Mus. & in Endl. Gen. p. 946 (ex parte). 



Lindl. Veg. Kingd. p. 500. 

 Portulacacej:, Lindl. Imrod. Nat. Syst. ed. 2. p. 123. Torr. & Gray, 



Fl. N. Am. 1. p. 195. 



The Purslane Family consists of succulent plants, with a watery or 

 mucilaginous juice, entirely destitute of any active or harmful properties, 

 usually bearing ephemeral, and often showy flowers. The order is most 

 allied to the Mesembryanthemacea? on one hand, and to Caryophyllaceae 

 on the other. Its limits are by no means well settled ; but the genuine 

 Portulacaceous plants are recognized by a calyx of two sepals, while the 

 corolla is composed of three to six, usually 5 petals, which have the stamens 

 opposite them or attached to their base, except when the latter are more 

 numerous or indefinite ; and by the commonly one-celled capsule with a free 

 central placenta from the base, with reniform or lenticular seeds having the 

 slender embryo coiled around the outside of farinaceous albumen, as in Ca- 

 rvophyllaceas, &c. Sesuvium anil its allies, however, have a regular 5- 

 parted calyx and are apetalous. 



Portulacaeea; are chiefly indigenous to the tropical and warmer temperate 

 regions, and grow in sunny and parched situations, as do other succulents. 

 This is not the case, however, with Claytonia and Montia, which are scarce- 

 ly fleshy, and inhabit rich and damp woods or wet places, and extend north 

 even to the arctic zone. 



Several plants of the order besides the well-known Purslane are employed 

 as potherbs. The tuberous root of a Claytonia is eaten in Siberia ; and the 

 farinaceous roots of Lewisia furnish the Indians of Oregon with an important 

 article of food . 



