PoRrTULACA. PORTULACEÆ. 355 
lid. We do not know T. polyandra of Blume ; it is said to have a tripartite style, 
and may therefore clear up the point. 
§ 1. Style simple: lid with one seed. 
1004. (1) T. crystallina (Vahl:) perennial, cespitose, woody at the base: 
stems diffuse, prostrate, dotted with crystalline specks: leaves oval or some- 
what spathulate: flowers several together, protruded from the sheath of the 
leaves: stamens 5: style simple: capsule 2-seeded ; lid cup-shaped at the 
apex externally, quite open at the bottom and allowing the seed to drop off. 
—«; stems usually filiform; leaves approximated on the branches, short, 
about 4-5 lines long.— Vahl, symb. 1. p. 32 ; DC. prod. 3. p. 952 ; Spr. syst. 2. 
p. 981 ; Roxb. fl. Ind. 2. p.444 ; in E. I. C. mus. tab. 647 ; Wall.! L.n.6840, 
a; Wight! cat. n. 1157.—T. triquetra, Rottl.! ; Willd. in nov. act. nat. cur. 
Berol. 4. p.180 ; DC. i. c. ; Spr. l. c.—Papularia crystallina, Forsk.— ; stems 
shorter; leaves distant, about an inch long.— Wight ! cat. n. 1158.—T. cry- 
stallina, Wall. ! L. n. 6840, b. 
In this species the lid is quite open below, so that upon its removal the 
upper seed is found generally lying on the top of the other in the bottom of 
the capsule: the lower side of the upper seed, and upper of the under one, 
are often flat, so that the two together sometimes appears as if constituting 
one seed : Roxburgh had evidently been deceived by this, as he describes the 
“ seed solitary." 
1105. (2) T. obcordata (Roxb. :) perennial ; stems diffuse, prostrate, slight- 
ly pubescent on the upper side : leaves, one of each pair larger and obovate 
or obcordate, the other smaller and oblong: flowers solitary, sessile, nearly 
concealed within the broad sheath of the petioles: stamens 15-20: style sim- 
ple: capsule 6-8-seeded ; lid concave with two spreading teeth, nearly quite 
closed at the bottom, nut-like, and including one seed.— Rob. hort. Bengh. 
P. 34; fl. Ind. 2. p. 445 ; Wall. ! L. n. 6837 ; Wight ! cat. n. 1159.—T. mono- 
gyna, herb. Madr.! ; Roxb. in E. I. C. mus. tab. 648.—T. pentandra, £ ob- 
cordata, DC. prod. 3. p. 352. 
§ 2. Style divided to the base into two linear longish segments : lid with two 
seeds. 
1106. (3) T. decandra (Linn.:) annual: stems diffuse, prostrate, glabrous 
or pubescent on the upper side: leaves elliptic, obtuse or acute, petioled, one 
of each paira little larger than the other: flowers several, pedicelled on a : 
short peduncle, accompanied with scariose bracteas and bracteoles: sepals 
membranaceous on the margin: stamens 10-12: style bipartite: capsule 4- 
Seeded, with a spurious dissepiment ; lid slightly 2-lobed at the apex, nearly 
closed below, nut-like, and containing 2 seeds.—Linn. mant. p. 70 ; HC 
Prod. 3. p. 352 ; Spr, syst. 2. p. 881; Roxb. fl. Ind. 2. p. 444 ; in E. I. C. mus. 
tab. 649 ; Wall. ! L. n. 6839 ; Wight! cat. n. 1160.—Zaleya decandra, Burm. 
Ind. t. 31. f. 3.— Pluk. t. 120. f. 3. 
IL PORTULACA. Tourns; Linn. 
Calyx either free or cohering with the base of the ovary, 2-cleft, splitting 
transversely at the base and deciduous. Petals 4-6, inserted on the calyx, 
equal, distinct or cohering at the very base. Stamens 8-20 : filaments distinct, 
_ Sometimes adhering to the base of the corolla. Ovary roundish. Style 3-6- 
eleft at the apex, or 3-8-partite. Capsule globose or ovate, 1-celled, dehis- 
cing transversely about the middle. Seeds numerous, attached by means of 
filiform podosperms to a central placenta.—Low herbaceous fleshy plants. 
Leaves scattered, quite entire, fleshy, often with hairs in their axils, some- 
what verticellated about the flowers. . Wik 
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