PURSLANE 



605 



Green Purslane. — This is the wild plant developed and 

 increased in size by continuous cultivation of selected large-leaved 

 specimens. Even in the wild state some Purslane-plants are met 

 with which have a more marked tendency than others to grow 

 with the stems erect in- 

 stead of sprawling on the 

 ground, and this form it 

 has naturally been sought 

 to reproduce and improve 

 by cultivation, as being 

 more productive on an 

 equal area, and more easy 

 to gather than plants of 

 spreading habit. 



Golden Purslane. — 

 This variety is easily dis- 

 tinguished from the pre- 

 ceding one by the light, 

 almost yellow, tint of its 

 leaves. It is grown and 

 used in exactly the same 

 manner. Its peculiar tint 

 appears to be less owing 

 to a weaker colouring of 

 the parenchyma of the leaf 

 than to a greater thickness 

 of the epidermis, which is 

 of a yellow hue. When 

 cooked, the leaves do not differ very much in colour from those 

 of the Green Purslane. 



Large-leaved Golden Purslane. — This variety is very distinct 

 on account of the size of the leaves, which are at least double as 

 large as those of the two preceding kinds, and grow closer together 

 on the stem. The plant does not grow quite so rapidly as either 

 of the two other kinds, but it is quite as productive, being more 

 thick set and compact in habit. 



Large-leaved Golden Purslane (I natural size ; 

 detached branch, ^ natural size). 



WINTER PURSLANE 



Claytonia perfoliata^ Don. PortulacacecB. 



French, Claytone perfoliee. Flemish, Doorwas. Dutch, Winter-postelijn. Spanishy 



Verdolaga de Cuba. 



Native of Cuba. — Annual. — Leaves all radical, very tender^ 

 thick, and fleshy, the earliest ones very narrow and lanceolate, the 

 following ones more or less broad, but always pointed ; stems 

 numerous, somewhat taller than the leaves, and bearing at the end. 



