412 TETKAGONIACEAE 



with a green niidnerve and a reticulation of green secondary nerves : capsule subglobose, 



1.5-2 mm. in diameter : seeds tinciy reticulated. 



On wet or dry plains or prairies, Texas to California and Mexico. Also widely distributed in tem- 

 perate and tropical regions. Spring to fall. 



2. Mollugo verticillata L. Foliage glabrous. Stems branched at the base, the 



branches slender, spreading radially, prostrate, 4-80 cm. long, forking : leaves in ai)f)arent 



whorls of 4-8; blades unequal, narrowly or broadly spatulate, 1-3 cm. long, rounded or 



acute at the apex, entire, short-petioled : pedicels 3-8 mm. long, reflexed in fruit: sepals 



oblong, 2 mm. long, obtuse, with hyaline margins: stamens 3, shorter than the sepals : 



styles 3, the tips recurved : capsule oblong or oval, 4-5 mm. long, surpassing the sepals : 



seeds red, 0.6 mm. broad, shining. 



In waste places and cultivated grounds, New Brunswick, Ontario and North Dakota to Florida, 

 Texas and Mexico. Widely distributed. Spring to fall. Carpet-weed. 



2. GLINUS L. 



Annual herbs, with forking branches and usually pubescent foliage. Leaves basal and 

 cauline, whorled, often fleshy : blades unequal : stipules hyaline. Flowers perfect, sessile, 

 clustered. Se[)als 5, witli hyaline borders, tomentose without. Stamens mostly 5-10 : 

 filaments filiform : anthers 2-celled. Ovary 3-5-celled, superior : styles very short or 

 none : stigmas sometimes sessile. Ovules numerous. Capsule often included in the calyx, 

 3-5-valved. Seeds numerous, strophiolate, with elongated coiled funiculi : aril conspicuous. 



1. Glinus lotoides Loefl. Foliage villous-pilose, especially when young. Stems 



stout, more or less diffusely branched at the base, the branches radially spreading, 0.5-3 



dm. long, forking : leaves apparently whorled ; blades very unequal, suborbicular, often 



broader than long, rounded or apiculate ; petioles shorter than the blades : flowers 



sessile or nearly so : sepals linear-lanceolate, 3-4 mm. long, acuminate, pubescent, with 



hyaline margins : stamens 5 : stigmits sessile : capsule oblong-ovoid, 3 mm. long, shorter 



than the sepals : seeds dull red, 0.6 mm. broad, granular. 



In waste places and cultivated soil, the Indian Territory and Arkansas. Summer. Naturalized 

 from Eurojie. — A related species G. Cambe.'^sidesii Fenzl.. with a less roVjust habit, smaller flowers, 3-5 

 stamens and smooth seeds, occurring from Mexico and lower California to South America and in Cuba, 

 has apparently been collected in Texas. * 



3. CYPSELEA Turp. 

 Annual or probably perennial, rather diminutive herbs, with elongated roots. Leaves 

 opposite, those of each pair unequal, with laciniate scarious stipules. Flowers axillary. 

 Sepals 4-5, erect, green, unequal, unappendaged. Ilypanthium campanulate. Stamens 

 1-3, alternate with the sepals : filaments shorter than the calyx. Ovary 2-celled, or 

 1-celled by suppre.s.sion, superior : styles usually 2, erect. Ovules numerous. Capsule 

 circumscLssile. Seeds minute, estrophiolate, becoming detached from the straight funiculi 

 which remain attached to the central placenta. 



1. Cypselea humifusa Turp. Low, glabrous. Stems densely branched at the base, 

 the branches prostrate, forming small mats 2-10 cm. broad : leaf-blades oblong to oval, 3-9 

 mm. long, obtuse, pellucid-punctate, on short petioles with dilated hyaline bases; stipules 

 becoming lacerate : flowers greenish, axillary, short-pedicelled : sepals 5, ovate : stamens 

 3 or sometimes 1 or 2, alternate with the sepals : capsule subglobose, 1.5-2 mm. in diame- 

 ter, apiculate. 



In sandy pine lands, peninsular Florida and California. Introduced from the West Indies. 



4. TRIANTHEMA L. 



Annual or perennial herbs or shrubby plants, with a spreading habit. Stem com- 

 monly branched at the base. Leaves opposite, those of each pair unequal, with stipules. 

 Flowers axillary. Sei)als 5, petal-like, with horn-like appendages on the back below the 

 apex. Stamens 5-6, or sometimes 10 : filaments alternating with sepals when of the same 

 number. Ovary 2-celled, or 1-celled by suppression, superior, tnmcate : styles usually 2, 

 sometimes eccentric. Ovules few. Capsule turbinate to cylindric, tardily circumscissile, 

 often leathery or corky above, with usually 2 marginal crests partly or wholly surrounding 

 the oblique concave top. 



1. Trianthema Portulacastrum L. Perennial, fleshy, sometimes sparingly pubes- 

 •cent. Stems ditiiisely branched at the base, the branches often prostrate, 5-10 dm. long, 



