250 PHANEROGAMOUS PLANTS. 



4. TALINUM, Adans. 



1. Talinum spinescens, Sp. Nov. 



T. rhizomate brevi crasso subramoso; foliis br embus teretibus clavato- 

 Imearibus, nervo medio persistente spinidam efficiente ; staminibus 

 numerosis; stigmatibus in capitulum arete conniventibus vel coaUtis. 



Hab. Bare rocks between Fort Okanagan and Grand Coulie, on the 

 Upper Columbia River; rare. — Root somewhat fusiform. Rhizoma 

 very thick, rather ligneous than fleshy, divided above into two or 

 three branches, which terminate in slender peduncles 4 to 6 inches 

 long. Leaves nearly half an inch long, thicker towards the extremity, 

 obtuse ; the lower portion of the midrib persistent and finally con- 

 verted into a slender spine. Flowers in a loose compound cyme, 5-6 

 lines in diameter. Sepals broadly ovate, obtuse, reticulately veined. 

 Petals "beautiful purple," obovate, entire, three times as long as the 

 sepals. Stamens 22 to 27: filaments shorter than the petals. Style 

 filiform, nearly as long as the petals : stigmas closely combined into 

 a head. This species belongs to the section Phemeranthus. It is near 

 T. teretifolium and T. calycinum, but differs from both in the very thick 

 caudex, crowded and much shorter leaves, the spine-like persistent 

 midribs, and the capitate stigma. 



5. LEWI SI A, Pursh. 



■ 



1. Lewisia rediviva, Parsh. 



Hab. On the Columbia River and its tributaries. — A very remark- 

 able plant, both for its botanical structure, which is anomalous in the 

 order, for the tenacity of life in the root, from which the specific 

 name was derived, and for its large use for food by the aborigines. 



