POUTULACACE-i:. 37 



ovate. Leaves terete. Sepals a little shorter tli an the pod. 

 Tetals pale. Seeds usually roughened with points. — Sea- 

 coast, Atl. Prov. 



3. B. borea'lis, Watson. (Spergidaria me'dia, Presl.) 



Much branched, glabrous. Petals white. Pod about twice 



as long as the sepals, nearly or quite smooth. — Sea-coast, 



and N. W. 



9. SPER'CULA, L. SPURHEY. 



S. arven'sis, L. (Corn Spubeby.) An annual herb' re- 

 sembling a, Buda, with numerous thread-like leaves in 

 whorls. Flowers white in panicled cymes. Pod 5-valved. 

 — Grain fields, Atl. Prov. (Int. from Eu.) 



Order XVII. PORTULACA'CEiE. (Purslane P.) 



Herbs with fleshy entire exstipulate leaves, and regular 

 hypogynous or perigynous flowers. Sepals 2. Petals 5. 

 Stamens 5-20. Styles 3-8, united below. Pod 1-celled, few 

 or many-seeded. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1. Portula'ca. Stamens 8-20. Pod opening by a lid (Fig. S07, Part I .), 



many-seeded. 



2. Clayto'nla. Stamens 5. Pod s-valved, 3-e-seeded. 



3. IMun'tla. Stamens usually 3. Petals .5, three of them somewhat 



smaller. Pod 3-valved and 3-seeded. 



1. POUTUIi.VCA, Tourn. PnESLANE. 



P. olera'cea, L. (Common Purslane.) A low fleshy herb, 

 very smooth, with obovate or wedge-shaped leaves. Calyx 

 2-cleft, the sepals keeled. Petals yellow, fugacious. — A 

 common pest in gardens. 



2. CtAYTO'NIA, L. Spring-Beauty. 



1. Ci Virgin'iea, L. Leaves linear-lanceolate, B-Ginches 

 long. 



2. C. Carolinia'na, Miohx. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or 

 oblong, tapering at the base. In both species the corolla is 

 rose-coloured, with" dark veins. The stem springs from u. 

 small tuber and bears two opposite leaves and a loose raceme 

 of flowers. — Eich woods in early spring. 



