LXVI.— ANALYTICAL DRAWINGS OF THE 
PURSLANE AND PINK FAMILIES. 
( Portulacacece and Caryophyllacecel) 
T HE Family Chenopodiacece , here represented by Salicornia herbacea Linne, 
though it has some slight affinity with the Polygonacece , is more closely related 
to the Portulacacece and Caryophyllacece. It is now classed with these Families, and 
other exotic groups, in the Order Centrospernice , named, as we have seen, from the 
character that the ovules, whether one or more, rise from the base of a generally 
one-chambered ovary, or are borne on a free central placenta. This Order consists 
mainly of herbaceous plants : their flowers are mostly perfect and have a perianth of 
one or two whorls ; and in the latter case these may be similar or be differentiated 
into calyx and corolla, the parts being either in threes or fives. The stamens are 
very generally equal in number to the perianth-leaves and opposite to them ; but 
may be fewer or more numerous ; and the ovary is always superior. The ovules 
are bent in a horseshoe-like manner, the embryo they enclose sharing in this 
curvature and wrapping round the endosperm. 
The Family Portulacacece has generally two sepals, imbricate in the bud, 
coherent at their bases, and persisting in the fruit stage ; five petals ; and three 
united carpels. The two genera by which the Family is represented in Britain, 
Claytonia and Montia, are closely related, both having an elastically explosive capsule 
which bursts into three valves and so discharges its three seeds. They differ in that 
Claytonia has its petals free with a stamen opposite each of them, whilst Montia has 
them united and unequal, with only three stamens, one opposite to each of the 
three smaller corolla-lobes. 
Claytonia only is represented on this Plate. The first figure in the first row is a 
flower, natural size : the second shows the same enlarged : the third, a stamen : 
4 is the fruit ; and 5, a longitudinal section through part of it. 
The six other rows of figures all represent Caryophyllacece , the same characters 
of flower, fruit, and seed being generally shown in the same order in each case. 
The genera represented are Alsine , Stellaria, Lychnis , Silene , and Dianthus ; but two 
rows are devoted to Lychnis , L. Githago Scopoli, once put in a separate genus, being 
figured as well as L. Flos-cuculi Linne. 
Alsine has five distinct sepals ; five entire petals ; and a three-valved, many- 
seeded capsule. Its leaves have membranous stipules. In the second row of 
figures on the Plate, 1 is an enlarged representation of a flower seen full face, as if 
from above ; 2 is the calyx and stamens ; 3, an unripe capsule, enlarged ; 4, a 
ripe capsule bursting ; and 5, a seed. 
Stellaria , of which we had several species on one Plate, is characterised by five 
distinct sepals, five bifid petals, stamens generally ten in number, three styles, and six 
teeth to the many-seeded capsule. In this genus there are no stipules. 
