rising from the base of the calyx, with distinct filaments ; ovary
superior, and capsule 1-celled ; leaves commonly alternate, without
stipules ; flowers axillary or terminal.
Tasteless, inodorous', somewhat mucilaginous, of a dull green
color ; of little use as a family ; are found at the Cape of Good
Hope in most abundance ; only a few in this country.
PoRTULACA. L. 12. 1.
P. oleracea. Purslane. A well-known plant of gardens and
fields, succulent, fleshy, having a prostrate stem, and flowers on
the smaller branches, with yellow petals. Supposed to be introduced
from Europe, but indigenous to naked plains of Missouri,
according to Mr. Nuttall. Sometimes boiled for greens.
C l a y to n ia . L, 5. 1. Spring Beauty.
Named after Clayton by Gronovius, who received the plants of
Virginia collected by Clayton. Within a few years many species
have been discovered in North America. Only one species is
found in New England. It has been fashionable to blend this in
all its varieties under C. Virginica, L. Our plant had been called
C. Caroliniana by Michaux, and afterwards C. spathulcsfolia by
Pursh, and a marked variety of C. Virginica by others. I have
never seen the long, linear, narrow-leafed plant, C. Virginica, L.
at the north ; and I was satisfied that ours is very different from
that, on receiving a specimen from the south.
C. spathulcefolia. Ph. Has a stem 6 -1 0 inches high, nearly
erect, often procumbent, with two opposite, fleshy, broad-lanceolate
or spatulate leaves, somewhat variable, and with loose-racem-
ed flowers, rose-red, and more or less striped ; root fleshy,
tuberous, at some distance in the ground ; open and moist woods ;
April. The two species are made distinct by T. and G., “ Flora
of North America,” Part 2, p. 199.
The plant is beautiful, as its name imports, but has no useful
properties. C. perfoliata, Donn, a native of North America, is
said to be a hardy plant, whose foliage is used as spinage.
Loudon.
ORDER 147. CRASSULACEiE. T he H ousel eek
T r ib e .
Divisions of the calyx 3 - 20, somewhat united at their base,
and originating the corolla of separate petals, or monopetalous ;
stamens once or twice as many as the petals and rising also from
the calyx; several hypogynous scales; ovaries as many as the
petals ; mostly succulent plants ; flowers in cymes.
This is a large tribe of plants, of which 133 are found at the
Cape of Good Hope, 15 in North America, 52 in Europe, and
about 70 more scattered over the earth. Only a few species inhabit
this State. The properties are sometimes acrid ; many are
refrigerant and abstergent; seem not to be of great value.
P enthorum. L. 10. 5.
P. sedoides. L. Virginia Stem Crop. The genus is named
from the 5-marked angles of the capsule ; and the specific name
from its resemblance to Sedum. A plant of no consequence ; a
native of this country.
Stem a foot or more high, branched and angular above ; leaves
alternate and lanceolate ; flowers white or yellowish, in a terminal
1-sided raceme ; wet grounds ; July. Plant scarcely succulent.
S edum. L. 10. 5.
Named from the Latin to sit, from the manner of growth upon
rocks, as if sitting upon them. Loudon. A pretty large genus,
having but few species in this country. 5 small, seed-vessels with
a scale at their base, and the divisions of the calyx often swelled
and leafy.
S. Telephium. W. Stone Crop. Stem branching, with flat,
alternate, ovate leaves, somewhat acute at both ends ; flowers in
a fascicled corymb, pale purple ; rocks ; July ; eastern part of
the State. This is doubtless the S. telephioides, Mx., varieties
of the same plant, common to Europe and this country.
Several other species of Sedum are cultivated.