SPRING BEAUTY
Claytonia perfoliata
Blinks [Montiaceae] 
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Blinks [Montiaceae]
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| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Somewhat stressed by lack of water, it has turned pinkish. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| A very low sprawling plant, barely gets 6 inches high. Flowers small. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Leaves Ace of Spades shaped, only half an inch across, on the end of long flattish stalks. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| All stems emerge and taper from a pink bulbous mass which bears the roots. Leaves about 4 inches long including the stalk. Flowering stems just a little longer. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| A twisted writhing mass of leaves and flowering stems. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Flowering stems are un-mistakably Spring Beauty, consisting of small white flowers cupped by a small chalice of two fused leaves, from which an upper tier of flowers may ascend on another telescopically-extending stalk. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The two fused-at-the-base Ace-of-Spades shaped leaves cupping the small white flowers, which are up to 6mm across. The flowers are themselves cupped by two (separate) sepals. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The two fused leaves as seen from below, exponentially flared at first although it may flatten-out later. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| An Ace-of-Spades leaf. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The flowers are white, with five white petals and five white stamens bearing off-white pollen. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Before the flower opens fully, the five stamens are clustered together in the centre. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Older plants have several pairs of flowers branching off the main flowering stalk at short intervals within the fused cup. Note the telescopically extending stalks. |
| 23rd April 2011, Birkdale Slacks, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The flowering stalks continue to grow longer whilst the two fused leaves flatten out. Petals sometimes slightly notched, as here. |
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Not to be confused with : Distinguishing Feature : The small white flowers cupped in a fused leaf surrounding the flowering stem. Not to be mistaken for: Pink Purslane. The basal leaves emanate from a pinkish bulbous base, like those of Pink Purslane with which it shares the same Genus name, and which are terminated by an Ace-of-Spades shaped leaf almost identical to that of Pink Purslane. The flowers are up to three times smaller than those of Pink Purslane. Whereas Pink Purslane has a couple of un-fused Ace-of-Spades shaped leaves opposite each other from which flowering stalks bifurcate, Spring Beauty has a fused leaf forming a cup around the stem from which flower stalks emerge telescopically. In America it is called Miner's Lettuce and is said to be edible. Grows on disturbed ground on sandy soils such as old dune slacks. ANY TEXT GOES HERE |
 Claytonia (Purslanes) |
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Blinks [Montiaceae]
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