414 PORTULACACEAE 
regular, usually symmetrical. Perianth of two whorls. Calyx of 2 sepals. 
Corolla of 4 or 5 or rarely more hypogynous imbricated petals. Disk wanting. 
Androecium of as many hypogynous stamens as there are petals, or sometimes 
fewer, or more. Filaments slender. Anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise. 
Gynoecium of several united carpels. Ovary 1-celled. Styles 2-5, distinct or 
united. Stigmas 2-5. Ovules 2-many, amphitropous. Fruit a membranous or 
crustaceous capsule, dehiscing usually by 3 valves, or circumscissile. Seeds 
2-many, with the embryo curved or coiled around the mealy endosperm. 
Ovary and capsule superior: capsule 3-valved. 
Sepals deciduous : stamens more numerous than the sepals or petals: capsules many-seeded. 
1. TALINUM. 
Sepals persistent : stamens as many as the sepals or petals: capsules few-seeded. 2. CLAYTONIA. 
Ovary and capsule wholly or partially inferior: capsule circumscissile. 3. PORTULACA. 
1. TALINUM Adans. 
Perennial herbs or shrubby plants, with usually glabrous foliage. Stems very short or 
elongated, often surmounted by wire-like peduncles. Leaves fleshy, alternate or nearly 
opposite : blades flat or terete, entire: stipules wanting. Flowers axillary or variously dis- 
posed at the end of the scape, showy. Sepals 2, herbaceous deciduous. Petals 5 or more, 
early withering. Stamens usually more numerous than the petals: filaments filiform. 
Ovary superior: styles 3, more or less united. Ovules numerous in the cavity. Capsules 1- 
celled, parchment-like, 3-valved. Seeds flattened, somewhat reniform, with a shining testa. 
Flowers axillary. 
Leaves linear: stamens about 20: peduncles wanting or very short. 1. T. lineare. 
Leaves broadest above or below the middle: stamens about 25: peduncles about E 
as long as the pedicels. 2. T. aurantiacum. 
Flowers in terminal cymes, sometimes panicled. 
Leaves terete : flowers in terminal cymes. 
Capsules elliptic. 3. T. parviflorum. 
Capsules subglobose. 
Petals 5, less than 8 mm. long: stamens less than 25: capsules less than 6 
mm. long. 4. T. teretifolium. 
Petals 8-10. over 8 mm. long : stamens over 25 : capsules over 6 mm. long. 5. T. calycinum. 
Leaves flat: flowers in panicled cymes. 6. T. reflexum. 
1. Talinum lineàre H.B.K. Foliage glabrous. Stems slender, erect or ascending, 
simple or branched, 1-4 dm. tall: leaf-blades flattish, linear, 2-7 cm. long, acute or 
acutish, sessile or nearly so: flowers axillary : corolla yellow, 2-3 cm. broad: peduncles 
very short or wanting: pedicels 1-2 cm. long, curved in fruit: sepals ovate, 5 6 mm. long, 
acute: stamens about 20: capsule subglobose, 5-6 mm. long: seeds obovoid, 2 mm. long. 
with curved ridges which are finely transverse-wrinkled. 
In sandy soil, Texas and New Mexico to Mexico. Summer. 
2. Talinum aurantiacum Engelm. Foliage glabrous or puberulent. Stems simple 
and erect or branched below, the branches spreading, 1-5 dm. long: leaf-blades flattish, 
linear-lanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 2-7 cm. long, sessile or nearly so : flowers axillary : 
corolla golden yellow to red, 2-2.3 cm. broad : peduncles slender, as long as the pedicels or 
shorter, recurved in fruit: sepals ovate, acuminate, 3-keeled : stamens about 25 : filaments 
red : style orange : capsule subglobose, 6 mm. long: seeds obovoid, 2 mm. long, slightly 
curved, with curved ridges and minute transverse wrinkles. 
In rocky soil and on prairies, Texas to New Mexico. Summer. 
3. Talinum parvifldrum Nutt. Foliage glabrous. Stems slender, very short, loosely 
tufted : leaf-blades terete, 2-5 cm. long, crowded : scapes solitary or tufted, wire-like, 1-2 
dm. tall, simple below, corymbosely branched above: peduncles very slender: bracts 
slightly prolonged backward: sepals ovate or ovate-lanceolate, shorter than the petals: 
corolla pink, 8-10 mm. broad : stamens 5 : capsule elliptic, 3-4 mm. long. 
_In rocky soil, Minnesota to Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Summer. 
4. Talinum teretifdlium Pursh. Foliage glabrous. Stems short, more or less tufted, 
ongh : leaf-blades terete, crowded, 2-6 cm. long, acute: peduncles very slender : bracts 
conspicuously prolonged backward : sepals elliptic or ovate, 3-4 mm. long: corolla blue or 
purplish, 2-3 em. broad : stamens usually 15-20: capsule subglobose, 4-5 mm. in diameter : 
seeds 1 mm. broad, minutely wrinkled. 
In sandy soil or on rocks, Pennsylvania to Minnesota, Florida and Texas. Spring to fall. 
5. Talinum calycinum Engelm. Foliage glabrous. Stems very short, more or less 
tufted : leaf-blades terete, 1-5 cm. long, acute: scapes wire-like, erect or ascending, 
em. tall, nearly simple or sparingly branched into a corymb above: peduncles very 
