Natural Order, Portulacaceae. 



Portulaca Oleracea. Linn. (Common. Purslane or turtle 

 grass.) A common prostrate plant with spreading, brittle, 

 fleshy stems, pink or coloured. Leaves fleshy, opposite, 

 broadly rounded, tapering at the base. Flowers minute, yellow, 

 solitary at the leaf-angle, and clustering at end of stem. A 

 very troublesome weed, each root covering a large space and 

 growing rapidly. Grows everywhere. Annual. All the year. 



Sesuvium Portulacastrum. Linn. (seaside purslane.) A 

 prostrate plant similar to the above, but stems branched and 

 rooting, often covering large patches. Leaves succulent, blunt 

 pointed. Lefroy points out its distinguishing feature in the 

 " absence of petals, stamens of deep rose colour, and delicate 

 pink lining to the sepals which are externally a bright green." 

 Flowers half an inch long, pink. Common on moist sea shores, 

 and marsh edges. Leaves of both species sometimes used in 

 salads. Perennial. Stems or stalks creeping flat, deep red, 

 merging into blood colour sometimes, eighteen inches long, 

 and covering very large spaces. 



Natural Order Tamariscineae. 



Tamarix Gallica. Linn. (Tamarisk.) An ever-green shrub 

 fifteen to twenty feet high, feathery foliage; flowers catkin-like 

 spikes, pink very minute. Introduced from the Mediterranean. 

 It is being used more and more for sea-shore fences, as its 

 foliage stands the sea spray without ill effects. It is a very 

 graceful shrub and when clipped forms a good wiiidbrake for 

 plantations. Should be planted as soon as the young shoots 

 begin to appear about the end of March. 



Natural Order, Hypericineae. 



Hypericum Perforatum. Linn. (St. John's wort. ) A small 

 plant, erect stem two-edged; leaves oblong, blunt; free-flower- 

 ing, yellow blossoms one inch across. Rare, and only in waste 

 ground. Perennial. July. 



Ascyrum Hypericorides. Linn. Crux Andreae of Linneus 

 (St. Andrew's Cross. ) A small, branching shrub two to four 

 feet high; stems brittle and scaly; leaves one-third of an inch 



