Trianthema 



FICOIDEACE^ 



167 



4. TRIANTHEMA L. 



Diffuse prostrate herbs. Leaves opposite, entire, the pair 

 unequal ; petiole long, with a sheathing base. Flowers axillary 

 with 2 bracteoles. Perianth with 5 lobes, mucronate near apex, 

 coloured inside. Stamens 5 to many. Ovary free, of one carpel 

 and one-celled (in W. Indian species) ; style one. Capsule one- 

 celled with 6-8 seeds, circumsciss, the lid closed incompletely at 



A, Portion of shoot showing flower X 5. 



B, Ovary X 10. 



C, Upper part of fruit X 10. 



Fig. 62. Trianthema Porhilacastrum L. 



D, Do. cut lengthwise X 10. 



E, Seed in section x 10 ; e, endosperm ; 



c, cotyledons ; r, radicle. 



its base by a spurious transverse dissepiment, enclosing 1 (or 2) 

 seeds. Embryo annular. 



Species 17, widely distributed in the tropics. 



T. Portulacastrum L. Sp. PI 223 (1753); Urb. Si/mh. Anf. 

 iv. 231. T. monogyna L. Mant. 69 (1767) ; (?/7.st'/>. >/. Brit. 

 W. Ind. 58. Portulacie atiinis, folio subrotundo ikc. Sloanc Cat. 

 89 ct Hist. i. 205. Type in Herb. Mus. Brit. (Fig. 62.) 



