44 Claytonia Virginica.
stem, and in many specimens they are radical, in which case the base
terminates in a long petiole of a whitish or red colour, owing to their
concealment in the earth. Stem generally bifoliate, but sometimes
naked, terete, glabrous, debile, drooping, or turning in arches, the
radical portion of a bright carmine-red colour. Flowers borne in loose
racemes, situated on slender, arcuate, secund peduncles. Calix consisting
of two lanceolate-ovate,“ sub-acute; entire, persistent leaves,
with white membranaceous margins. Corolla concave, delicate
peach-blossom-red, variegated internally with streaks of carmine, and
less conspicuously so without. Germ ovate, the style as long as the stamens,
terminating in a trifid apex. Stigma glandular. Pistil greenish,
stamens inserted, each with a petal at the base of the germ, the filar
ments peach-blossom-red like the petals, dilated at base, with rose-
red, erect, oblong anthers. Capsule sub-globose. Delights in moist
meadows and the edges of damp woods of rich soil near the decayed
stumps of trees. Growing generally in great abundance, throughout
the Union. Flowering time March, April, and May.
The genus Claytonia was so called by Gronovius, in honour of his
friend John Clayton, of Virginia, a distinguished botanist who ardently
investigated the plants of that state. He is chiefly known to the scientific
world, by the Flora Virginica,* a work to which Linnaeus, and all
* The first edition was published in Leyden, in 1748—and though, its ostensible
author is Gronovius, the great value of the work is derived from the masterly botanical
descriptions of Clayton, communicated to his friend.
Claytonia Virginica. 45
botanists since his time make frequent references. The genus is a small
one, consisting of but five species, of which the subject of the preceding
description is much the most common. Appearing at an early
period of the vernal season, when every flower possesses peculiar attraction,
it is much admired. The delicate structure, and variegated
hue of the flowers, together with the unusual colour: of the stamens,
entitle them to this regard, and it may justly be said, that this species
of Claytonia is one of the prettiest of our spring plants.
The table represents the whole plant in flower, the size of nature
in favourable situations. The leaves are often more linear, and the
plant not unfrequently consists only of the tuber and a single bifoliate
stem, bearing the raceme of flowers.