( 2885 ) 
PorTULACA GRANDIFLORA. LaArGE-FLow- 
ERED PURSLANE. 
Doe ae oe oo es Os oe a NO a 
Class and Order. 
IcosanpriA Monoeynta. 
( Nat. Ord. — Porrutaces. ) 
Generic Character. 
Cal. aut liber aut imo ovario adherens, bipartitus, demum 
basi circumscissus et deciduus. Pet. 4—6, equalia, inter 
se libera aut ima basi concreta, calyci inserta. Stam. 8- 
15 (v. plura,) filamentis liberis interdum ima corolla adna- 
tis. Ovarium subrotundum. Stylus 1, apice 5—6- (9-) 
fidus, aut stylus nullus et stigmata 3—8 elongata. Capsula 
subglobosa, 1-locularis, medio circumscissa. Semina plu- 
gee placente (v. placentis tot stigmata) centrali affixa. 
Specific Character. 
Portrutaca * grandiflora ; caulibus diffusis ramosis, foliis 
cylindraceis acutis, axillis pilosis, floribus terminalibus 
congestis, petalis calyce longioribus. 7 
lie 
Descr. Root tuberous. Stems diffuse, branched, six to 
eight inches long, rounded, smooth, succulent, reddish. 
Leaves scattered, rather remote, an inch or an inch and a 
half long, cylindrical or terete, acute, sessile, or with a 
very imperfect contraction at the base, which may be con- 
sidered a sort of petiole, fleshy, glaucous green, glabrous ; 
the axils alone have numerous long, entangled, white (de- 
ciduous ?) hairs. Flowers terminal, three or four in a 
cluster, sessile upon the top of a branch, and —- 
ane y 
———— en 
_ *- An ancient Latin word applied to the Purs/ane, of very doubtful origin, 
Some say from portula, a little door, because the leaves resemble a little door. 
