PURSLANE FAMILY 



87 



17. POLVCAKPON (All-seed). — Annual herbs with flat leaves ; 

 membranous stipules ; minute//('7i'f;-i-in crowded, bracteate cymes ; 

 scfals keeled ; petals emargmate ; stamens 3 — 5 ; styles 3 ; ovules 

 many. (Name from the Greek /cVw'j, many, kdrpos, fruit.) 



T. P. ietraphiPhivi (Four-leaved All-seed). — A .small prostrate 

 branched plant ; lower leaves in whorls of 4, tipper opposite ; 

 fltnoers ninn\', minute, greenish-white ; stamens 3. — On the south- 

 west coast ; rare. — V\. [une, |ul)'. Annual. 



Orh. XIII. PoRTUL.ACE.t. — The Purslane Family 

 Smooth, succulent herbs or shrubs with simple, entire leaves; 

 and monosynnnetric_//r'7i;'(T5 opening only during sunshine. Sepals 

 2, united at the base ; petals usually 5 ; stamens 3 — 5 ; carpels 3, 

 united into a r-chambered ovary, with a slvle usually 3-fid, few 

 ovules and basal plaeentatlon. The eapsiilis open either trans- 

 versely or by 3 val\es. Many species ha\'e large showy flowers ; 

 but those of the British representatives of the Order are small and 

 white. The common Purslane {Portiildea olerdeea) has been cul- 

 tivated in warm countries as a pot-herb from very early times, and 

 occurs as a weed at Richmond, Surrey. 

 *i. Claytonia. — Fetals {rt-i; stamens^. 

 2. Mc'iNTiA. — Petals united at the base; Sta?nens 3. 



*i. Claytonia. — Naturalised North American jilants with 

 stalked rajleal leaves, exstipulate ; ploivers in terminal cymes ; 

 sepals 2, united at the base, persistent ; petals 5, not united ; 

 stamens 5, epipetalous ; eapsi/le 3-\al\'ed, 

 honour of John Clayton, an early 

 collector in \'irginia.) 



I.* C. sibiriea. — Often a foot 

 high ; raeileal leaves ovate, acumin- 

 ate ; can line leaves o]iY>os\\.Q, sessile; 

 petals lilac, bifid. — A garden 

 escape. — Fl. iVpril — July. Annual 

 or perennial. 



2.* C. perfoliata. — 4 — 12 in 

 high ; radiea'l leaves rhomboid, 

 fleshy ; eauline leaves connate ; 

 petals nearly or quite entire, wdiite. 

 — A garden escape. — Fl. April — ■ 

 July. Annual. 



2. MiJNTiA (Blinks). A small annual herb ; leaves opposite, 

 or nearly so ; flowers solitaiy or in few-tlowered C)'mes : sepals 2 

 united at the base, persistent ; corolla of 5 united petals, 3 smaller 

 than the rest, tube split to the base in front ; stamens 3, inserted in 



3-seeded. (Named in 



M'j'.TiA FOXTAX.^ {H'afcr Bh'n^s). 



