XVII. poutulace.t:. 171 



ft 



2. CALANDRINIA, H. B. and K. 



Sepals 2, persistent or rarely deciduous. Petals 5 or more, or rarely fewer, 

 ^yP^oJ^^ous. Stamens indefinite, numerous or few, free or united in a ring 

 at the base, or adhering to the petals. Ovary free, with several ovules, rarely 

 reduced to 1 or 2. Styles 3 or rarely 4, free or united in a single style, 3- or 

 4-cleft, or furrowed at the top. Capsule globose, ovoid or oblong, opening 

 lu 3 or 4 valves, or aluiosit indehiscent. Seeds reniforra-globular or flattened, 

 not strophiolate, shining or granidate. Embryo curved round the albumen. 

 —Herbs, rarely half-shrubby at the base, glabrous or hirsute. Leaves alter- 

 nate or in radical tufts, more or less fleshy. Stipules none. Flowers either 

 solitary pedunculate and axillary, or arranged in terminal racemes or heads. 

 I^etals usually very fugacious. 



^ A large genus, whicli besides numerous tropical, subtropical, or southern American spe- 

 cies, only contains the Australian ones here described, which are all endemic. Formerly 

 confounded with Taliiium^ it has been well distinguished from that genus chiefly by the 

 absence of any strophiola or caiuucle to the seeds, and differs from Claytoaia m the stamens 



always indefiuite, even when reduced to a number about the same as or fewer than that of 



the x)etals. 



Siametis numerous (20 to 100). 



Scapes leafless, several-flowered, w^ith numerous opposite scarious 



Scales. Root tuberous , 1. C. Lehnaymi. 



Scapes leafless, 1-tiowered. Leaves radical, narrow-liuear ... 2. (7. uniflora. 

 Stems more or less leafy, several-flowered. 



Perennial. Petals very broad. Anthers lincar-obloug. Styles 



uuited at the base 3. C. halonensis. 



Annuals. Petals oval-oblong. Anthers short. Stales free to 

 the base. 



Styles and capsular valves 3 .4. C, polyajidra. 



Styles aud capsuhir valves 4 " , 5, £7. quadnvah-is, 



"^amensfeio Capsule ovoid or obhng, very readily deJiiscent, 

 Stamens mostly 8 to 10. Seeds pitted (except in C. Uniflora). 

 Sepals acute or scarcely obtuse. Leaves linear-terete, the radical 

 oues elongated. 

 Sepals fully 2 lines. Anthers linear-oblong. Seeds smooth and 



shining 6. (7. Uiiijlora. 



Sepals 1 toll lines. Anthers small, ovate. Seeds minutely pitted. 



Petals 5 , . . 7. C. gracilis. 



Petals about 8 8. ^. polypetala. 



Sepals broad and \tYy obtuse. Leaves oblong or shortly linear. 



Stems short, ascending or diff'use 9- C. pusilla. 



Stems twiniu"" 10. C, vohibilis. 



Stainens mostly slo 5. ' Seeds very 'smooth and shining.' 



^racts leafy. Sepals 3 to 4 lines long C, caulesce7is []* . 175). 



Bracts very small. Sepals under 2 lines and often under 1 line. 

 •Leaves oblong or linear-oblong, thick. Kacemes loose. Pedicels 



at length 3 to 5 lines, reflexed l\, C, cahjptrata. 



Leaves small, narrow-liuear. Racemes short and very numerous. 

 Pedicels not 1 line, erect. Flowers very small. 

 Capsule oblong, with 4 to 8 seeds. Ovules 6 to 8 . . . . 12. C. composila. 

 Capsule narrow-cylindrical, with I or 2 seeds. Ovides 2 • 13. C corriyiolotdes. 

 ^^(^inensfew. Capsule globular or shorll^ ovoid, very smooth and 

 ^hining^ and scarcely dehiscent. 



Leaves Hnear-terete. Stamens about 15. Anthers oblong. 



Capsular valves scparaling at the base 14. C. spcrgnhnmf. 



