OEDEE XXI. POETULACAOE^ PUESLANE-FAIvnLT. OEDEE XXICI. ILALVACE^ MALLOW-TEIBE. 



143 



I. S. dnnuus. Knawel. 



Slightly pubescent ; stem procumbent, branchings tufted ; leaves numerous, 

 narrow- linear, acute, opposite, partially united at base ; flowers small, greenish, 

 nearly sessile, in leafy axillary clusters. A common little weed in dry soils. 

 Stems 2' — 4' long. June — Juli/. 



13. MOLLtTGO. 

 Sepals 5, united at base. Petals none. Stamens 5, sometimes 

 8 — 10. Styles 8. Capsule 3-yalved, 8-celled, many-seeded. An. 



1. M. verticillata. Carpet-weed. 



Btera branched, depressed ; leaves spatulato, entire, arranged in apparent 

 verticils of 5 at each joint; flowers greenish-white, axillary, pedunculate; sta- 

 mens mostly 3. A very common weed in cultivated grounds, spreading flat on 

 the surface, making a sort of carpet. July — Sep. 



Oedee XXI. Portulacacese. — Purslane- 

 family. 



1. poktulAca 



Sepals 2, united below ; the upper portion deciduous. Petals 

 4 — 6, equal. Stamens 8 — 20. Styles 3 — 6 cleft at apex. Cap- 

 sule a pyxis, sub-globose, dehiscing near the middle, many-seeded. 

 An. 



1. P. olerElcea. Purslane. 



stem thick and fleshy, very branching, prostrate, spreading; leaves cunei- 

 form, sessile ; flowers pale yellow, sessile ; petals 5, cohering at base ; foliage of 

 a reddish-green color. A very common and exceedingly troublesome weed in 

 cultivated grounds and waste places. Introduced. June — Jiity. 



2. P. pilosa. Scarlet Purslane. 



stem exceedingly dilFuse, purple ; branches suberect, enlarged upwards ; 

 leaves linear, obtuse, with tufts of long hair in the axils ; flowers large, terminal, 

 sessile, solitary, or several together, surrounded by leaves, and dense tufts of 

 hair; petals coherent at base, scarlet or pllrple. A brilliant species, nati ve at 

 the south-west, common in cultivation. Jxdy — Aug. 



2. clattOnia. 



Sepals 2, persistent. Petals 5, hypogynous, emarginate or 

 obtuse. Stamens 5, inserted on the cla-ws of the petals. Stigma 

 8-oleft. Capsule 3-valved, 2 — 5-seeded. Per. 



1. C. Virgmica. Spring Beauty. 



stem simple, rather succulent, glabrous ; leaves opposite, linear, tapering 

 below with petioles ; flowers white, veined with purple, in a terminal raceme, 

 on slender nodding pedicels ; sepals rather acute ; petals mostly emarginate. 

 A handsome little plant 4'— 8' high, arising from a root buried deep in the 

 ground. Stem with 2 opposite leaves. Low grounds. Eare in N. Eng. but 

 common westward. 



2. C. Caroliniana. 



Spring Beauty. 



Smooth, somewhat succulent ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, somewhat spatulate 

 at base or abruptly decurrent into the petiole; radical ones few, spatulate; 

 flowers smaller than in the last, rose-color, veined with purple, in a terminal 

 raceme, with slender nodding pedicels ; sepals and petals very obtuse ; root 

 tuberous, deep in the ground. A delicate species smaller than the last, common 

 in certain districts. Ap. — May. 



Order XXII. Mesembryanthemacese. — Ice- 



plant-family. 



1. mesembetAnthemum. 



Sepals 4 — 8, usually 5. Petals numerous, in many rows. 

 Stamens numerous, attached to the calyx. Ovaries many-celled. 

 Seeds numerous. Per. 



1, M. crystallinum. 



Ice-plant. 



stem creeping ; leaves ovate, acute, wavy, frosted, S-veined beneath ; flow- 

 ers white, appearing through the summer. A biennial plant common in house 

 cultivation. The stem and foliage are cpvered with w^rty foot-like protuber- 



2. M. cordifolium. 



stem procumbent, spreading; leaves cordate-ovate, opposite, peLolate 

 flowers pink ; calyx thick, green. A succulent, fleshy plant, common iu bousa 

 cultivation. 



Oedek XXIII. Malvaceae. — Mallow-tribe. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENEEA. 

 * Calyx \rltU an involucel at base. 



1. Malta, Calyx with a 8 -leaved involucel. Carpels separating when 



ripe. 



2. A1-TII.EA. Calyx with a 6— 9-cleft involucel. Carpels separating when 

 ripe. 



8. HiBisous. Calyx with a many-cleft involucel. Carpels united into a5- 

 celled capsule. 



** Calj'^x Tvithout an involucel. 



4 Ab-^ttilon. Capsule of 5, or more, separate carpels. 



1. Mi-LVA. 

 Calyx 5-cleffc, with an involucel, mostly of 3 leaves. Carpels 

 several, 1-celled, l-seeded, dry, indehiscent, circularly arranged. 



1. M. rotundifolia. Low Mallow. 



stems prostrate, branchiog; leaves on long, pubescent petioles, orbicular, 

 cordate at base, obtusely 5-lobed, crenate, thin ; flowers axillary, pedicellate, palo 

 pink, or whitish ; pedicels reflexod in fruit; petals twice as long as the acuto 

 segments of the calyx, deeply notched; involucre 3-leaved; fruit spherical, de- 

 pressed in the centre, mucilaglQous, and called " c/tgesea " by children on ac- 

 count of the shape. Introduced into cultivated grounds and waste places. 

 May— Sep. Per, 



2. M. sylvestris. Garden Mallow. 



stem erect; leaves 5 — 7-lobed; lobes acutish ; peduncles and petioleshairy; 

 flowers large, reddish-purple. A common garden plant, sometimes naturalized 

 in the Middle States, growing 3 feet high. June— Oct Per. 



3. M. crispa. High Mallow. 



stem erect, simple; leaves angularly lobed and toothed, frilled, smooth; 

 flowers small, white, axillary, sessile. A tall plant, 5—6 feet high, of no beauty, 

 in gardens, sometimes naturalized in waste places. Jitne—Aug. An, 



2. ALTERA. 

 Calyx surrounded by a 6 — 9-cleft involucel. Carpels numer- 

 ous, indehiscent, arranged circularly around the axis, separating 

 when ripe. 



1. A. officinalis. Marsh Malloiv. 



stem erect, downy; leaves alternate, softly tomentose on both sides, cordatd 

 or ovate, 8-lobed, or sometimes entire ; peduncles much shorter than the leaves, 

 many flowered ; flowers large pale purple, axillary and terminal ; root as well 

 as the rest of the plant, mucilaginous ; stem about 2 feet high. Borders of sail 

 marshes. Introduced. Aug.— Sep. Per. 



2. A. r6sea. Hollyhock. 



stem erect, haiiy ; leaves rough, cordate, 5— 7-angled ; flowers large, axillarj'. 

 sessile. A common garden biennial, 6 — 8 feet high. Flowers red, purple 

 white, or yellow, and all intermediate tints, often double. 



8. EIBlSCUS. 



Calyx 5-cleft, surrounded by a many-leaved involucel. Stig 

 mas 5. Carpels 5, united into a 6-ceUed capsule. Cells several 

 seeded. 



1. H. Mosclieutos. Marsh Hibiscus. 



stem simple, erect, terete, downy ; leaves ovate, acuminate, serrate, oftei 

 3-lobed, hoary-tomentose beneath, somewhat rough and pubescent above; pe 

 duncles long, axillary, or united to the petioles ; flowers very large, 3' in diamo 

 ter, rose-color, crimson in the centre, solitary ; petals obovate, retase ; stylet 

 much longer than the stamens. A splendid plant 3 — 6 feet high, growing on tht 

 borders of marshes, especially near the sea. Aug.— Sep. Per, 



2. H. Syriaeus. Althma. 



Leaves cuneiform, 3-lobed, toothed ; flowers delicate, large, purple, axillary 

 on peduncles scarcely longer than the petiole, solitary ; varieties have white, 

 red, and variegated flowerB. A fine shrub, 5 — ^10 feet high, hardy when it has 

 attuned its full sizo, but tather tender whajj young. July— Sep. 



