[Illustration: LANCE-LEAVED PORTULACA SMALL-FLOWERED TALINUM]
Herbs or undershrubs, often succulent; sepals 2; petals 4-6, soon
falling; stamens few or many; ovary 1-celled; fruit a capsule opening by
valves or a transverse split.
Lance-Leaved Portulaca (_Portulaca lanceolata_) is a weed found in sandy
soil from Central and Southern Texas to Arizona. The flowers are less
than half an inch broad with 5 pinkish-yellow petals and 7-27 stamens.
It may be distinguished from other portulacas by the crown-like rim
around the capsule. Hairy rose moss (_Portulaca pilosa_) is more
abundant and showy, with purplish-red flowers nearly an inch broad,
greatly resembling the large-flowered rose moss in cultivation. The
capsule of the portulacas opens by a cap.
Small-Flowered Talinum (_Talinum parviflorum_) has small pink flowers
about ½ in. broad, which, like those of the portulacas, require bright
sunlight for opening. These dainty flowers grow on slender stalks from a
cluster of short, rounded leaves and may be found in rocky soil from
Minnesota to Texas during the summer months.