SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 9 
you readily decide that the sepals are two, and 
f that there are five petals and five stamens. The 
seed pods show that there is but one pistil, and 
that the calyx does not adhere to the ovary; that 
is, the ovary is superior. Armed with this in- 
formation, you turn to the key where you search 
under ‘‘B. Stamens 10 or less.” Evidently the 
correct subheads are: ‘‘1. Ovary, or ovaries, supe- 
rior,” etc.; ‘** * Pistil only'one;” ‘t+ Herbs;” 
“+ Leaves mostly radical;” ‘‘Stamens 5, opposite the 
petals; sepals 2; style 3-cleft—Portulacacex, 29.” 
Turning to p. 29 you find that Claytonia is the 
only genus having 5 stamens, and that this plant 
* must be Claytonia perfoliata. 
The little plant figured above (a) evidently an- 
swers to the description of the Var. exigua, which 
is now considered by the best authority to be a 
distinct species. The stem leaves are sometimes 
1 broad and united at the base. The radical leaves 
are nearly terete, as shown in the figure. This 
species is most obviously distinguished from the 
two varieties of the Cup-leaved Claytonia, by its 
glaucous leaves. The plants are often smaller 
than here represented, and rarely much larger. 
Kellogg’s Lavatera, or Tree Mallows, an ever- 
blooming shrub, common in cultivation, is a con- 
stant source of material with which to illustrate 
the Mallows Family. The figure at the bottom of 
the page represents one of the flowers cut through 
the center, so as to show the structure. The fruit 
of a very common weed of the same family is also 
shown. The most common native plant is Sidalcea 
humilis, described on page 32. Hollyhock, cotton, 
okra and Abutilon are foreign plants of this order, 
common in cultivation, The latter is ashrub with 
drooping flowers; the petals incurved, and the 
stamens sticking out (exserted). 
UPPER Fie.—a, Claytonia exigua (entire plant). 6. Clay- 
tonia perfoliata. 
Lowes Fiec.—a..Fruit of Malva rotundifolia. b. Same, 
showing the bracts of the persistent calyx. v. Kellogg's 
Lavatera. (L, assurgentiflora.) 
