PORTULACACEAE

PURSLANE FAMILY

Annual or perennial herb, generally fleshy
Stems generally glabrous
Leaves simple, alternate or opposite, sometimes stipuled
Inflorescence various
Flower bisexual, radial; sepals generally 2(–8), free or fused at base; petals 3–18, free or ± fused; stamens 1–many, free or inserted on corolla; ovary superior or partly inferior, chamber 1, placenta free-central or basal; styles 2–8, generally fused at base
Fruit: capsule, circumscissile or 2–3-valved
Seeds 1–many, generally black, generally shiny
Genera in family: ± 20 genera, ± 400 species: generally temp Am, Australia, s Africa; some cultivated (Lewisia, Portulaca, Calandrinia )
Reference: [Bogle 1969 J Arnold Arbor 50:566–598]
Family description and key to genera by Dieter H. Wilken & Walter A. Kelley.

CLAYTONIA

Kenton L. Chambers

Annual or perennial herb, from stolon, rhizome, tuber, or taproot, glabrous, ± fleshy
Leaves entire; basal 0–many, rosetted; cauline generally 2, generally opposite, free to fully fused into ± 2-toothed disk or cup surrounding stem
Inflorescence: raceme, terminal, 1-sided; pedicels reflexed, becoming erect in fruit
Flower: petals 5, pink or white; stamens 5, epipetalous; ovary chamber 1, placentas basal, style 1, stigmas 3
Fruit: capsule; valves 3, margins rolling inward and forcibly expelling seeds
Seeds 3–6, generally black, generally clearly appendaged
Species in genus: 28 species: North America, e Asia
Etymology: (John Clayton, colonial Am botanist, born 1686)
Reference: [Miller 1978 Syst Bot 3:322–341; Miller & Chambers 1993 Novon 3:268–273]
Some species formerly placed in Montia.

Native

C. lanceolata Pursh

WESTERN SPRING BEAUTY

Perennial; caudex 0; tuber 1–3 cm wide, brownish, spheric; rhizomes and stolons 0
Stem 5–15 cm, erect
Leaves: basal 0–2, 5–8 cm, blade 1–3 cm, elliptic, base wedge-shaped, tip acute, petiole thread-like; cauline 1–7 cm, ± linear to ovate, generally ± sessile
Inflorescence generally short-stalked or sessile, 1-bracted at base; flowers 3–15
Flower: sepals 3–7 mm; petals 5–12 mm, white or pinkish (base sometimes yellow)
Fruit 3.5–4.5 mm
Seed 2–2.5 mm, round, shiny
Chromosomes: 2n=16,24,32, many other numbers
Ecology: Gravelly woodlands, meadows
Elevation: 1500–2600 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, High North Coast Ranges, High Cascade Range, n&c High Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel Mountains, Modoc Plateau, Desert Mountains (Panamint Mtns)
Distribution outside California: to w Canada, Montana, New Mexico
Flowering time: May–Jul
Synonyms: vars. peirsonii Munz & I.M. Johnst., Peirson's spring beauty, and sessilifolia (Torr.) A. Nelson
Much variability apparently environmental; needs study
Horticultural information: TRY; DFCLT.