3 68 XVII. rOETULACE.i;. 



cles erect from tlie base of the cavity, and free or united in a central column, 

 or in as many clusters as style-branclies. Seeds several or solitary by abor- 

 tion, usutiUy more or less reniform, with a lateral liilum ; testa crustaceous, 

 sometimes with a caruncle at the hilum. Embryo more or less curved round 

 the mealy albumen, or rarely nearly straight with very little albumen. — Herbs 

 rarely slirubby at the base, usually glabrous and succulent or clothed witli 

 long hairs. Leaves alternate or opposite, entire. Stipules scarious or split 

 into hairs or none. Flowers terminal and solitaiy, or in racemes cymes or 

 panicles, or rarely axillary. Petals usually very fugacious or withenng in a 

 mass, 



A small Order, chiefly American, with a few species dispersed over other parts of the 

 world, especially S. Africa and Australia. The Australian genera are none of them endemic, 

 2 of them being chiefly American, and the other 2 generally distributed over the globe. 

 Tlie chief characters, derived from the ovary and seeds, are those of Carijophjlle<£i from 

 which Fortidacece differ in habit, in the number and position of the stamens, and especially 

 in their calyi. 



Ovary half-inferior. Petals and stamens pcrigynous 1. roiiTULACA. 



Ovary superior. Petals and stamens bypog}-nous. 

 Petals free. 



Stamens 5, opposite the petals, and inserted on their base . . , 3. Claytoxia. 



Stamens indefinite, often numerous, rarely and irregularly reduced 



to 5 2. Calakdiunia. 



Petals united in a simple corolla, split open on one side. Stamens 



3 to 5 • . . 4. MoNTiA. 



1. PORTULACA, Linn. 



Sepals 2, united at the Lase in a tube adnatc to tlie OA'aiy, the free part 

 deciduous. Petals 4 to 6, pengYnous. Stamens indefinite, often numerous, 

 sometimes 6 to 8, inserted with the petals. Ovary half-inferior, with several 

 ovules. Style deeply 2- to 8-cleft. Capsule membranous, half-inferior, the 

 free part circumseiss at maturity. Seeds reniform, shining, often granuhite. 

 Herbs more or less succulent. Leaves alteniate or opposite, often clustered 

 in the axils, the floral ones usually forming an involucre round the flowers. 

 Stipules scarious, or more frequently reduced to a tuft of hairs, sometimes 

 veiy minute or none. Flowers terminal, sessile, or pedicellate. 



The species are mostly American, with a very few tropical Australian, Asiatie, or African 

 ones, 2 of tliciu widely dispersed over cultivated or sandy places in various parts of the 

 f^lobe.^ One of these is included among the Australian ones* of which the remainder are all 

 endemic. 



Leaves mostly alternate. 



Stipular hairs minute or none. 



Leaves oblong-cuueatc. Ivoot slender. Capsule closely sessile . 1. i". okracea. 

 m Leaves liucar-terete. Koot usually tuberous. Capsule narrowed 



into a short stipes , , , , 2. P. naj/ifoJ'^f^^' 



Stipular hairs numerous and conspicuous. 



Leaves thick and short ♦ . 3. P. austraUs. 



Leaves linear-terete, almost filiform 4. P^filifoUa* 



Leaves all opposite. 



Stipular hairs short, but conspicuous. Flowers usually t3, within 



the floral leaves, and shortly pedicellate. Stvlc-lobcs subulate . 5. F. dl(/yna. 



