170 FLORA OF JAMAICA Fortulaca 



-. P. pilosa L. S}). PL 445 (1753) ; stems prostrate, spread 

 over the ground or ascending, branches undivided ; leaves 

 narrowly linear-lanceolate, acute, axillary hairs long, but shorter 

 than the leaves ; petals purple or crimson, 1^-2 times as long as 

 calyx ; seeds black, with the surface granular, 6 mm. 1. Haiv. 

 Slice. 122 ; Bot. Beg. t. 792 ; DC. Prodr. Hi. 354 (excl. var.) ; 

 Mac/. Jam. ii. 168 ; Griseb. loc. cit. ; Bohrh. torn. cit. (in part) ; 

 Urh. torn. cit. Anacampseros supina minor Arc. Broitme Hist. 

 Jam. 234. Type in Herb. Linn. 



Crimson-flowered Purslane. 



Browne ; Cays outside Port Royal, Macfadyen ; March ! Green Valley, 

 20C0 ft., Harris \ Fl. Jam. 6092. Florida, Porto Rico, St. Thomas, 

 St. Cruz, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Vincent, Bequia, Mexico, 

 tropical and subtropical parts of S. America. 



Stems somewhat shrubby, to J ft. high. Leaves '5-1 '5 cm. 1. Floiver- 

 clusters surrounded by wool. Calyx, lobes not keeled, linear-oblong, 

 obtuse, 2-3 mm. 1. Petals Ih to 2 times as long as the calyx. Stamens 

 15 or more, filaments crimson. >S^?/Zc 5 -6-partite. Capside covered by the 

 withered corolla. Seeds '3 mm. in diam. 



" The leaves are intensely bitter to the taste, and have been used as a 

 diuretic and stomachic as well as an emmenagogue " (Macfadyen). 



3. P. halimoides L. Sp. PI. ed. 2, 639 (1762) ; stems somewhat 

 erect, diffuse, branches numerous, arranged in a corymbose 

 manner ; leaves fleshy, subcylindrical, axillary hairs long, but 

 shorter than the leaves ; petals yellow, 3 mm. 1., half as long again 

 as the calyx, or less ; seeds tuberculate, 4 mm. br. Haw. Misc. 

 137 ; DC. loc. cit. ; Mac/. Jam. ii. 167 ; Griseb. loc. cit. P. erecta 

 sedi &c. Sloane Cat. 88 & Hist. i. 205, t. 129, /. 3. Halimus 

 minimus &c. Browne Hist. Jam. 206. Type in Herb. Mus. Brit. 



Savanna Purslane. 



Savannas, Sloane Herb. iv. 10 ! Houstoun ! Shaksjpear ! Spanish Town, 

 Kingston, Browne; Kingston, Macfadyen; Pedro Bluff; Hope river 

 mouth; Harris \ Fl. Jam. 9942, 10,049. Bahamas, Cuba, Porto Rico, 

 St. Jan, St. Bartholomew, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Desirade, Saintes, Mexico. 



Stems somewhat shrubby, 2-4 in. high. Leaves 'Q~'S cm. 1. Calyx 

 2-2*5 mm. 1. Petals 3 mm. 1. Stamens 8-20. Capside circumsciss at 

 ^-^ of its height. Seeds black, -4 mm. br. "Towards Christmas, the 

 naked heath-like stems may be observed, destitute of leaves, scarred, and 

 bearing at the extremity of each branch an expanded cottony head, giving 

 a rather remarkable and puzzling appearance " (Macfadyen). 



4. P. phseosperma Urh. Symb. Ant. iv. 233 (1905); root 



thick ; stems numerous, fleshy, branches numerous and parallel ; 



leaves linear or oblong-linear, somewhat acute or obtuse ; axillary 



hairs short ; flower-clusters with dense hair ; petals yellow, 



5-7 mm. 1., half as long again as the calyx, or less ; seeds 



minutely and densely rough, 6 mm. br. MiUsjjawjh in Field 



Columh. Mus. Bot. Ser. ii. 298. 



Road Kingston to Spanish Town ; in crevices of honey-comb rock, 

 Great Goat Is., Harris ! Fl. Jam. 9104, 10,167. Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, 

 Hispaniola, Porto Rico, St. Cruz. 



