branches are rough: but I scarcely think it other than a var. From the B. m da of Nuttall it differs in the
number of its petals. The name would be more applicable to the following species.
3. B. albicaulis; petalis 5 obovatis (parvis), staminibus petaloideis nullis, bracteis nullis,
caule leevissimo nitido albo. Douglas, MSS. apud Hort: Sbc. Load.—Mentzelia albicaulis.
Douglas, in Herb, nostr.
Annua, parva, decumbens, basi prseoipue ramis erectiusculis alternis, kevissimis, nitidis, albis. Folia
remota, lanceolata, sinuata, scabra. Flores nunc in axillis solitarii, plerumque 3-5 congesti ad apices ramo-
rum, parvi, ebracteati. Calycis segmenta subulata, scabra, erecto-patentia, vix 2—3 lineas longa. Petala 5,
longitudine calycis, obovata, “ mucronata,” flava. Stamina 30 petalis subbreviora. Filamenta omnia con-
formia, filiformia, libera, basi dilatata. Anther ce subrotundse, biloculares: Loculi appositi, ad marginem
dehiscentes. Germen inferum, unciam longum, cylindraceum, hispidum, uniloculare; receptaculis tribus
parietalibus. ' Ovula uniserialia. Gapsula sesquiunciam longa, cylindracea, calyce coronata. Semina
plurima, tetragona, albuminosa. Embryo immersus, cylindraceus, curvatus; radicula ad hilnm versa.
Hab. On arid sandy plains of the river Columbia, under the shade of Purshia tridentata. Douglas.—
Mr. Douglas seemed to be doubtful whether this new plant should be referred to Bartonia or Mentzelia.
It partakes, indeed, in some characters of the one, and some of the other. Mr. Nuttall, who, has perhaps
alone of any living Botanist had the opportunity of examining both Bartonia and Mentzelia in a recent
state, and who may be considered to have established the former genus, says that “ nothing essential
separates Bartonia from Mentzelia, except the augmentation of petals, and the* structure of thé capsules
and seeds.” In regard to the augmentation of petals,-Mr. Nuttall himself observes that in Bartonia their
number varies from ten to fifteen. We have shown in the two preceding species, that it is reduced to five,
but with five petaloid stamens, or imperfect petals. In the present plant, the petaloid stamens are wanting;
and the number of petals exactly accords with Mentzelia. Again, in Bartoniathe seeds ought to be,
according to Nuttall, “ numerous, arranged horizontally in a double s e r i e s in Mentzelia, the “ seeds are
3-6, longitudinally arranged.” In our plant, the seeds are numerous (25-40, Dougl.), placed in a single
series.—For a knowledge of the structure of the flowers and seeds of this plant, I am indebted to a beautiful
drawing which accompanied the specimen lent to me by Professor Lindley, and made by that- admirable
Botanist.
O bd. XXXVII. PORTULACEiE. Juss.
1. PORTULACA. Toum.
Cal. aut liber aut imo ovario adhserens, bipartitus, demum basi circumscissus et deciduus.
Pet. 4-6 sequalia, inter se libera aut ima basi concreta, calyci inserta. Siam. 8-15, fila-
mentis liberis interdum ima corolla adnatis. Ovarium subrotundum. Stylus apice 3-6-
fidus, aut stylus 0 et stigmata 3-8 elongata. Capsula subglobosa 1-locularis medio circum-
scissa. Semina 00 placentae centrali adfixa.—Herbae carnosce humiles. Folia sparsa inle-
gerrima crassa, in axillis scepe piligera, circa flores congesta aut subverticillata. Flores horis
9-12 matutinis sole expansi.— Genus heterogeneum et forsan dividendum, sed capsula cir-
cumscissa nunc facile distinctum.. DC.
1. P. oleracea; foliis cuneiformibus carnosis, axillis geniculisque nudis, floribus sessilibus.
Linn. Sp. PI. p. 638. De Cand. PI. Gras. t. 123. EUiott, Carol, v. 1. p. 534. Pursh, FI.
Am. v. 2. p. 365.
Hab.’ About Norway House, and banks of the Hill River. Dr. Richardson, Drummond.
2. TALINUM. Adam. Juss. (T alinum et Calandrinia. D C.)
Cal. 2-partitus. Petala 5. Stamina plurima. Stylus 1. Stigmata 3. Capsula 3-valvis,
polysperma.:—Frutices aut suffrutices (herbaceceve.) Folia alterna crassiuscula, interdum
in axillis pilosa. Flores terminates, paniculati aut racemosi. Juss.
1. T.? (Calandrinia? Kunth,) Menziesii; caulescens, foliis lineari-spathulatis, inferio-
ribus longe petiolatis, marginibus nudis, superióribus sepalisqiie aciitè carinatis dorso glan-
duloso-ciliatis, floribus pedunculatis axillaribus. (Tab. LXX.)
Radix parva, annua, subfusiformis, fibrosa. Caules erecti vel basi decumbentes, digitales, graciles, foliosi.
Folia remota, inferiora et radicalia longe petiolata nuda, superiora glanduloso-ciliata: omnia lineari-spathu-
lata, Pedicelli axiUares, solitarii, in apices caulium, folio duplo breviores, supeme angulati, angulis piloso-
glandulosis. Calyx profunde bipartitus; segmentis seu sepalis ovatis, acutis, acute carinatis, carina margini-
busque glanduloso-ciliatig. Corollam stamina pistiUamqtie non vidi. Capsula 1-locularis, 3-valvis. Semina
plurima, receptaculo centrali affixa.
H ab. North-West coast of America, south of the Columbia. A. Menzies, Esq.—Habit of a Talinum;
but, without having seen the flowers, I am incompetent to refer it to the proper genus. It may be a. Clay-
tonia.
Tab. LXX. Talinum ? Menziesii. Fig. 1, Root-leaf; f ig .2, Leaf from beneath a flower; fig. 3, Capsule,
with the persistent calyx and peduncle,:—magnified.
3. LEWISIA. Pursh.
Calyx 7-sepalus, sepalis submembranaceis. Petala 9-12, interiora sensim minora. Stam.
12-16 hypogyna. Antheror lineares. Germen globosum. Ovula plurima receptaculo
centrali libero affixa. Stylus profunde sexpartitus, laciniis filiformibus. Stigmata obtusa.
—rPlanta herbacea acaulis. Radix fasciculata. Folia teretia carnosa. Scapi uniflori.
1. L . rediviva. Pursh, FI. Am. v. 2. p. 368.—a. radice sanguineo, flore albo.—/3. radice
albo, flore roseo. Hook, in Bot. Misc. v. 1. p. 345. t. 70.
H ab. «. Banks of Clarke’s River, North-West America. Lewis. /3. Subalpine regions of the Rocky Mountains,
on the wést side, and abundant at the junction of the Spokan River with the Columbia, in dry stony
soils; also on the Flathead and Salmon Rivers, in similar situations; Douglas.—The roots of this are gathered
in great quantities by the Indians on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, and highly valued on account
of their nutritive qualify. They are boiled and eaten as Salop, or arrow-root, and are admirably calculated
for carrying on long joumies: tw;o or, three ounces arday being sufficient for a man, even while undergoing
great fatigue.—Unfortunately, I have seen no complete flowers of this plant; so that, Pursh having described
it imperfectly, we yet remain ignorant of the characters of the Genus; if, indeed, it should not merge into
Talinum, which I think very probable.
4. CLAYTONIA. Linn.
Cal. disepalus persistenS, sepalis :ovatis oppositis. Petala 5, obcordata aut obovata
hypogyna sequalia unguiculata, üiigüibus’baisi subconnatis. Stam. 5 ad ungues petalorum
inserta. Ovarium sessile. Stylus 1 trifidüs, ramülis intus stigmatosis. Caps. 1-locularis
3-valvis 3-sperma. Fila conductoria 3 ante fsecundationem a placenta centrali ad styli basin
directa. Semina sessilia.—Herbae glabrce siibsucculentce scepius perennes. Folia integerrima,
radicalia petiolata, summa scepius opposita sessilia, interdum connata. Racemi terminates.
Flores albi aut rosei. DC.