170 XVII. PORTULACE.E, {JPortulcica, 



bent stems of 

 but otherwise 



^ to 1 ft., the stipiJar and involucral hairs long and copious, 

 glabrous. Leaves alternate, linear-terete, almost filiform, 2 

 to 1 in. lon<j;.. Flowers rather lar^-e, yellow, 1 to 3 together, sessile between 

 2 to 4 involucral leaves. Sepals 2 to 2|- lines, and petals twice as long. 

 Stamens numerous. Style elongated, usually 4-cleft. Seeds shining, granu- 

 late, the funicles united ia as many clusters as styles. 



W. Australia. Saudy deserts 011 Sturt's Creek, F, Mueller. 

 Queensland. In the interior, Mitchell. 



This may be a variety of P. ausiralis^ and only appears to differ from the tropical 

 African P/foliosa in its more slender leaves, and from P. iuberosa^ E,oxh., in the roots not 



tuberous and in the large flowers. 



5. P. digyna, F, MnelL Frogm, i. 170. A procumbent, glabrous 

 annual of a few inches, with dicliotomous or opposite branches. Leaves all 

 opposite, ovate obovate or nearly orbicular, 2 to 3 lines lon^, very shortly 

 petiolate. Siipular hairs very short. Flowers pink, very small, pedicellate, 

 1 to 3 together, between 2 or 4 involucral leaves, forming dichotomous leafy 

 cymes. Sepals not 3 lines long. Petals 4, rather longer. Stamens about 10. 



Style long, with 2 long linear stigmatic branches. Ovules about 6, the 

 funicles forming 2 clusters. Capsule elongate-conical, covered in the upper 

 part with oblong papillae. Seeds 1, 2, or 3, black, smooth, and sbining. 



IT. Australia. 



Mi 



:mia. F. MuelL Fraam 



^ . i. 170.- A little slender annual 

 of 2 or scarcely 3 in., with numerous opposite branches. Leaves all opposite, 

 oblong, narrow-lanceolate or linear and semitercte, 3 to 4 lines long. Sti- 

 pular hairs none or quite microscopic. Flowers very small, pink, terminal, 

 solitary and closely sessile Avithin 2 or 4 involucral leaves, which do not ex- 

 ceed the Cvalyx-tube, so that the flower appears pedicellate, with 4 calyx-like 

 bracts at the summit of the pedicel. Sepals scarcely 1 line long, and the 

 petals ap])arently not longer. Stamens about 6, the anthers very transparent. 

 Style divided into 2 to 4 lanceolate, transparent, and very delicate lobes. 

 Seeds few, black, granulate. 



N- AastraUa. Yictoria river and Sturt's Creek, F. Mueller. 



The Sturt's Creek specimens have smaller aud rather broader leaves, and in the flower 1 

 exauiiued the lobes of the style were broader than in tliose from Victoria river, but both are 

 probably fonus of one species, nearly allied to the East Indian P, quadrifida, but at once 

 kuowu by the absence of stipular hairs. 



7. P.. bicolor, F, MucU. Fmgm. 1. 171. A minnte, prostrate annual, 

 with opposite branches, rarely above 1^ in. long. Leaves all opposite, 

 broadly ovate or orbicular, scarcely exceeding 2 lines. Flowers as in P. 

 oU(/osperma minute, solitary, terminal, and closely sessile between 4 bract- 

 like floral leaves (appeariufr pedicellate, with 4 ealyx-like bracts at the summit 

 of the pedicel). Sepals not 1 line long. Petals minute, yellow. Stamens 

 about G. Style with 4 (or sometimes 2 ?) lanceolate, transparent, very deli- 

 cate lobes. Capsule short, broad. Seeds several, small, black, granulate. 



N. Australia. Victoria river, F. Mueller. 

 Queensland, Keppel B\\y, R. Brown, 



