PORTULACACEAE 413 



lorking, often matted : leaf-blades suborbicnlar to broadly obovate, 0.5-2 cm. broad, 

 rounded, notched or apiculate at the apex, contracted into petioles which are somewhat 

 shorter than the blades, and clasping at the dilated bases: flowers sessile in the axils: 

 sepals ovate-lanceolate, 2-5 mm. long, purple within, acnminate : capsule 3.5-5 mm. long, 

 tipped by the persistent styles. \_Trianthema monogyna L. ] 



In sandy soil, peninsular Florida to Texas. Arizona, Lower California and Mexico. Also in the 

 West Indies. " 



5. SESUVIUM L. 



Annual or jjerennial spreading herbs or shrubby plants, with fleshy tissues. Leaves 



opposite, succulent, without stipules. Flowers axillary. Sepals 5, usually with horn-like 



appendages on the back below the apex. Stamens 1-many, perigynous : filaments sometimes 



collected into groups. Ovary 3-5-celled, half-inferior. Styles 3-5, distinct, filiform. 



Ovules numerous. Fruit a circumscissile 3-5-valved capsule. Seeds several or many in 



each cavity. Sea Purslane. 



Stamens 5. 1. S. maritimum. 

 Stamens numerous. 



Calyx 4-6 mm. long : sepals broadly ovate-oblong. 2. S. sessile. 



Calyx 8-10 mm. long : sepals narrowly oblong. 3. S. Poitulacastrum. 



1. Sesuvium maritimuin (Walt.) B.S.P. Annual, stout, fleshy, glabrous. Stems 

 more or less branched at the base, the branches spreading or ascending, 0.5-4 dm. long, 

 forking : leaf-blades spatulate or obovate, 1-2.5 cm. long, rounded or notched at the apex, 

 short-petioled : flowers sessile in the axils, usually solitary, about 4 mm. broad : sepals 5, 

 lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, hooded, the back prolonged into an appendage : stamens 5, 

 shorter than the ovary: capsule ovoid, 5 mm. long: seeds 0.7 mm. broad, shining. 

 ISesunum pentandrum Ell. ] 



In sand on the coast, Long Island to Florida and Louisiana. Also in Cuba. 



2. Sesuvium s6ssile Pers. Perennial, stout, fleshy, glabrous. Stems more or less 

 difJnsely branched at the base, the branches ascending or prostrate, 1-8 dm. long, forking: 

 leaf-blades spatulate to spatulate-oblanceolate, 1-2.5 cm. long, obtuse or acutish, on stout 

 winged petioles which are dilated into somewhat clasping bases : flowers short-pedicelled, 

 solitary in the axils : sepals ovate-oblong, 8-10 mm. long : stamens numerous : capsule ob- 

 long, 6 mm. long : seeds 1 mm. broad, smooth. 



On sandy beaches, river banks and saline plains, Kansas to California, Texas and Mexico, and in 

 Brazil. 



3. Sesuvium Poitulacastrum L. Perennial, fleshy, glabrous. Stems usually dif- 

 fusely branched at the base, the branches prostrate, often creeping, forming patches 2 m. 

 broad : leaf-blades oblanceolate to oblong, 1.5-4 cm. long, acute or acutish, tlie bases clasp- 

 ing : flowers short-pedicelled, solitary in the axil : sepals broadly lanceolate, 7-10 mm. 

 long, hooded, purple within, the back prolonged into an appendage: stamens numerous: 

 capsule conic, 8-10 mm. long. 



On muddy and sandy shores, along the coast, North Carolina to Florida, and in the West Indies, 

 Bermuda and the tropics. 



6. TETRAGONIA L. 



Annual or perennial fleshy herbs or shrubby plants, with branching stems. Leaves 

 mainly opposite, succulent. Flowers axillary to leaf-like bracts. Sepals mostly 4, fleshy, 

 erect or converging at maturity, obtuse. Corolla wanting. Stamens 1-many, perigynous : 

 filaments, when numerous, somewhat collected into groups. Ovary 3-9-celled, half-in- 

 ferior : styles 3-9, short, distinct. Ovule solitary in each cavity. Fruit indehiscent, a 

 4-6-horned nut. Seed solitary, pendent, pear-shaped, estrophiolate, with a horseshoe- 

 shaped embryo. 



1. Tetragonia expansa !Murr. Annual, succulent, usually papillose. Stems 



branched at the base, the branches spreading or procumbent : leaf-blades ovate, 2-6 cm. long, 



acutish or obtuse, entire, sometimes undulate, contracted into cuneate petioles : flowers 



nearly sessile : calyx yellowish green : sepals 4, spreading : ovary 5-9-celled : styles 5-9 : 



nuts cartilaginous, 8-12 mm. long, 4-6-horned, slightly flattened. 



In waste places and old fields, peninsular Florida. Also in California. Introduced from eastern 

 .^sia and New Zealand. New Zealand Spinach. 



Family 9. PORTULACACEAE Reichenb. Purslane Family. 



Succulent herbs or partly shrubby plants, with fibrous roots rootstocks or 

 corms. Leaves alternate or opposite : blades terete or flat. Flowers perfect, 



