Herbs with fleshy entire exstipulate leaves, and regular hypogynous or perigynous flowers. Sepals 2. Petals 5. Stamens 5-20. Styles 3-8, united below. Pod 1-celled, few or many-seeded.

Synopsis Of The Genera

1. Portulu'ca. Stamens 8-20. Pod opening by a lid(Fig. 207, Part I.), many-seeded.

2. Clayto'nia. Stamens 5. Pod 3-valved, 3-6-seeded.

3. Mon'tia. Stamens usually 3. Petals 5, three of them somewhat smaller. Pod 3-valved and 3-seeded.

1. Portula'ca. Tourn. Purslane

P. olera'cea, L. (Common Purslane.) A low fleshy herb, very smooth, with obovate or wedge-shaped leaves. Calyx 2-cleft, the sepals keeled. Petals yellow, fugacious. - A common pest in gardens.

2. Clayto'nia. L. Spring-Beauty

1. C. Virgin'ica, L. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 3-6 inches long.

2. C. Carolinia'na, Michx. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or oblong, tapering at the base. In both species the corolla is rose-coloured, with dark veins. The stem springs from a small tuber and bears two opposite leaves and a loose raceme of flowers. - Rich woods in early spring.

38 Common Canadian Wild Plants)

3. .MON'Tia

L. M. fonta'na, L. A small, spreading, somewhat fleshy herb, with opposite, spathulate leaves. Sepals 2. Petals 5, three of them somewhat smaller. Stamens usually 3, borne on the claws of the smaller petals. Pod 3-valved and 3-seeded. - Wet places, Atl. Prov.