Portulaca 



PORTULACACE^ 



169 



1. P. oleracea L. Sp. PI. 445 (1753) ; leaves obovate-cuneate 

 or spathulate ; axillary hairs (when present) few, very short, not 

 conspicuous outside; seeds black, tuberculate, -8 mm. 1. R((w. 

 Succ. 121 ; DC. Prodr. Hi. 353 ; A. Gr. Gen. t. 99 ; 3lacf. Jam. it. 

 166 ; Griseh. FI. Br. W. Lid. 57 ; Rohrh. in FI. Bras.'xiv. pt. 2, 



Fig. 63. Portulaca oleracea L. 



A, Upper portion of branch with flower- 

 buds at apex x H. 



Bj Flower in section with sepals and petals 

 indicated x 6. 



C, Fruit after dehiscence x 2. 



D, Seed x lu. 



E, Do. in section x 10 ; e, endosperm ; 



c, cotyledons ; r, radicle. 



299; Urh. Sijmh. Ant. iv. 232. P. parvifolia Haiv. Succ. 122 

 (1812) ; DC. torn. cit. ; Mac/. Jam. it. 167 (form with minute 

 leaves). Type in Herb. Linn. 



Purslane. 



Wi-ig]itl Macfadyen ; March \ Spanish Town road, CamphclV. King's 

 House, T. Harris ! Great Pedro Bay, Harris ! Bahamas, West Indies, 

 tropical and temperate regions. 



Stems prostrate or somewhat erect, branching from the base, to 1 ft. 

 high. Leaves varying very much in size, 'S-i cm. 1. Flowers clustered 

 or solitary. Sepals keeled, keel ending in a long point, 3-5 mm. 1. Petals 

 yellow, half as long again as the calyx. Stamens 7-12. Stigmas 3-5. 

 Capsule covered by the withered corolla, G mm. 1. 



" It is a plant destitute of any odour, very fleshy and juicy and insipid 

 to the taste, but it takes readily the taste of any viands or seasoning which 

 may be combined with it, and in this manner an agreeable and palatable 

 culinary preparation may be produced. It is also used with vinegar as a 

 salad, and forms the ingredient of a soup. As a vegetable it has the 

 reputation of being cooling; antiscorbutic, diuretic, &c., and peculiarly 

 adapted for warm weather " (^Macfadyen). 



