92 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



rising from the base of the calyx, with distinct filaments ; ovary- 

 superior, and capsule 1 -celled ; leaves commonly alternate, with- 

 out stipules ; flowers axillary or terminal. 



Tasteless, inodorous, somewhat mucilaginous, of a dull green 

 color ; of little use as a family ; are found at the Cape of Good 

 Hope in most abundance ; only a few in this country. 



PORTULACA. L. 12. 1. 



P. oleracea. Purslane. A well-known plant of gardens and 

 fields, succulent, fleshy, having a prostrate stem, and flowers on 

 the smaller branches, with yellow petals. Supposed to be intro- 

 duced from Europe, but indigenous to naked plains of Missouri, 

 according to Mr. Nuttall. Sometimes boiled for greens. 



Claytonia. L. 5. 1. Spring Beauty. 



Named after Clayton by Gronovius, who received the plants of 

 Virginia collected by Clayton. Within a few years many species 

 have been discovered in North America. Only one species is 

 found in New England. It has been fashionable to blend this in 

 all its varieties under C. Virginica, L. Our plant had been called 

 C. Caroliniana by Michaux, and afterwards C. spathulazfolia by 

 Pursh, and a marked variety of C. Virginica by others. I have 

 never seen the long, linear, narrow-leafed plant, C. Virginica, L. 

 at the north ; and I was satisfied that, ours is very different from 

 that, on receiving a specimen from the south. 



C. spathulazfolia. Ph. Has a stem 6-10 inches high, nearly 

 erect, often procumbent, with two opposite, fleshy, broad-lanceo- 

 late or spatulate leaves, somewhat variable, and with loose-racem- 

 ed flowers, rose-red, and more or less striped ; root fleshy, 

 tuberous, at some distance in the ground ; open and moist woods ; 

 April. The two species are made distinct by T. and G., " Flora 

 of North America," Part 2, p. 199. 



The plant is beautiful, as its name imports, but has no useful 

 properties. C. perfoliata, Donn, a native of North America, is 

 said to be a hardy plant, whose foliage is used as spinage. 

 Loudon. 



