154 Plantce Lindheimeriance. 



4-5 lines in diameter, purple. Capsule about one line long, 

 almost globose. Seeds smoother than in any other of our 



species. 1 



1 " Besides these two species, we have in the flora of the United States, three others 

 very different from these, but nearly related to one another; namely, the well-known 

 T. teretifolium, Pnrsh, T. calycinum, Engelm. in Wisliz. Rep.; and T. parvijlorum, 

 Nutt. ; all three now in cultivation with me, and well distinguished from one another. 

 T. cahjcinum is very ornamental ; the large flowers have sometimes six to ten petals. 



"Mr. Lindheimer has discovered two undescribed species of Portulaca in Western 

 Texas. As these plants are so difficult to preserve and so unsightly when dried, he 

 did not collect specimens for distribution ; but from his seeds both were raised by me 

 last season and prove very remarkable plants, one from its near alliance with Portu- 

 laca oleracea, the other from its great difference from that species. I arrange the 

 species of our flora (all of them annuals) in the following manner. 



PORTULACA. 



* Spathulaice : glaberrimee ; eaule tereti ; foliis spathulatis obovatis ; sepalis alato- 

 carinatis cum operculo capsulte rnaturce deciduis ; petalis flavis emarginatis s. bilobis; 

 capsulse annulo circular! tumido. 



1. P. oleracea, L. : foliis obovatis spathulatis apice rotundatis ; alabastro com- 

 presso ovato acuto; sepalis carinatis; staminibus 7 -9; stigmatibus 5 stylum bre- 

 vem superantibus ; seminibus minoribus minute sub lente verruculosis nigris. — St. 

 Louis, very common; flowers open in direct sunshine between 9 and 10 o'clock, 

 A. M. August. 



2. P. retusa (n. sp.) : foliis cuneatisretusis, seuemarg-ma^'s; alabastro compresso 

 orbiculato obtuso; sepalis late carinato-alatis; staminibus sub- 15 (17 - 19, Lindh., 

 in plantis parvulis 7-10); stigmatibus 3-4 stylum aequantibus vel eo brevioribus; 

 seminibus majoribus sub leute echinato-tuberculatis nigricantibus. — Granite region 

 of the Liano in Western Texas. Flowers open in direct sunshine between 8i and 9b 

 A. M. (in St. Louis, in August), always before the common species. — Distinguished 

 from the nearly allied P. oleracea by the broader retuse leaves, and broader calyx ; 

 by the larger, more distinctly tuberculated, somewhat paler seeds, much larger 

 style, and shorter and fewer stigmata. Number of stamina variable. In large speci- 

 mens (bushes several feet in diameter, stems at base 6-7 lines thick, prostrate or 

 ascending) ; the number counted was 15. Stigmata almost invariably 4, rarely 3. 



* * Lanceolatm : glaberrimse ; caule angulato ; foliis superioribus lanceolatis ; sepa- 

 lis vix carinatis post anthesin deciduis ; petalis plerumque versicoloribus acutiusculis ; 

 capsulse ala circular! lata excalycis basi aucta. 



3. P. lanceolata (n. sp.): su6-erecta; foliis inferioribus spathulatis obtusis, superi- 

 oribus lanceolatis acutis ; petalis obovatis s. oblanceolatis acutiusculis s. cuspidatis ; 

 staminibus 7-27; stigmatibus 3-6; capsula turbinata versus apicem ala circulari 

 lata cincta ; seminibus majoribus echinato-tuberculatis cinereis. 



a. versicolor; petalis majoribus obovatis rubris basi flavis; staminibus 12-24; 

 stigmatibus 5-6 linearibus; capsulse ala orbiculari plana. 



/?. minor; petalis minoribus oblanceolatis ssepe totis flavidis rarius apice rubellis; 

 staminibus 7-12; stigmatibus 3-4 ovato-oblongis ; capsulse ala subpentagona un- 

 ci ulata. 



Granite region of the Liano, in Western Texas. — Stems in smaller plants a few 

 inches high, erect, with erect branches ; in larger specimens a foot or more high, as- 



