FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS OF ARIZONA 301 



soil, preferring shade on northern exposures, April to May. Wyoming 

 and Utah to New Mexico and Arizona. 



The Arizona specimens have longer leaves than those from the 

 Rocky Mountains (5 to 10 cm. long) and perhaps constitute a distinct 

 variety. C. rosea is perhaps not specifically distinct from C. lanceolata 

 Pursh. 



6. MOXTIA 



Small glabrous plants of diverse habit, annual or perennial; stem 

 leaves opposite, in 1 or more pairs; flowers small and inconspicuous, 

 in loose, simple or compound racemes; sepals 2; petals and stamens 5. 



Key to the species 



1. Plant perennial, with runners ending in a bulblet; stems commonly decumbent 

 and rooting at the lower nodes; leaves none of them long-petioled, the 

 stem leaves several pairs, obovate to oblong-spatulate, narrowed at base; 

 racemes axillary (often appearing terminal) ; petals 6 to 8 mm. long. 



1. M. CHAMISSOI. 



1. Plant annual, with fibrous roots; stems erect or ascending; basal leaves very 

 long-petioled, the stem leaves 1 pair, broader than long, connate-perfoliate, 

 forming a nearly orbicular or somewhat angled disk subtending the in- 

 florescence; racemes terminal; petals 3 to o mm. long.__ 2. M. perfoliata. 



1. Montia chamissoi (Ledeb.) Durand and Jackson, Index Kew. 



Sup. 1: 282. 1903. 



Claytonia chamissoi Ledeb. in Spreng., Syst. Veg. 1 : 790. 1825. 

 Crunocallis chamissonis Rydb., Torrey Bot. Club Bui. 33: 139. 

 1906. 



Apache County to Coconino and Yavapai Counties, 6,200 to 8,500 

 feet, wet ground in forests, June to August. Alaska to Iowa, New 

 Mexico, Arizona, and California. 



2. Montia perfoliata (Donn) Howell, Erythea 1: 38. 1893. 



Claytonia perfoliata Donn, Hort. Cantabr. 25. 1796. 

 Li mnia perfoliata Haw ., Syn. PL Succ. 11. 1812. 



Mohave, Coconino, Gila, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties, 3,000 to 

 6,000 feet, along brooks and around springs, February to May. South 

 Dakota to British Columbia, south to Arizona and California. 



Miners-lettuce, Indian-lettuce, easily recognized by the saucer- 

 shaped disk formed by the stem leaves, has been used as a salad plant 

 and potherb by both white people and Indians. A form with nar- 

 rower basal leaves, var. parviflora (Dougl.) Jepson {Claytonia parvi- 

 flora Dougl.), often grows with the typical form and is equally com- 

 mon in Arizona. A depauperate form occasionally found in the 

 State is var. depressa (A. Gray) Jepson (Limnia humifusa Rydb.). 

 Several Arizona specimens have been identified as Limnia utahensis 

 Rydb. 



7. PORTULACA 



Small, more or less succulent plants, annual or perennial, with dif- 

 fuse or ascending, leafy stems; sepals 2, united below; petals mostly 5, 

 inserted on the calyx; stamens often numerous, inserted on the calyx; 

 ovary partly inferior; capsule opening by an apical lid. 



All of the species prefer dry soil and full sunlight, growing on plains 

 and mesas. Some of the Arizona species were used by the Indians as 

 potherbs. The popular garden annual (P. grandiflora Hook.) is a 

 native of southern South America. 



