17-t XVII. PORTULACE.E. {Calandriuia, 



8. C. polypetala, Fenzl, in Ilueg. Enuu, 51. A slender annual, with 

 filiform radical leaves of 1 in. or longer. Stems ascending, simple, 3 to 6 in. 

 high. Leaves filiform, the upper ones passing into the minute bracts. Ka- 

 cemes terminal, with distant, small flowers, the lower pedicels about 5 lines, 

 the iipper ones much shorter. Sepals rather obtuse, a little more than 1 line 

 long. Petals 8 to 10, oblong, twice as long as the sepals, withering into a 

 calyptra, as in C. cahjplrata. Stamens 8 to 10, united in a ring at the 

 base ; anthers globular. Styles 3, filiform. Capsule half as long again as 

 the calyx, nearly cylindrical, 3-valvcd, with minute, globular, black seeds, 

 minutely granulated, — Nees, in PI. Preiss. i. 247, excluding the var. com- 

 posita, 



"WT. Australia. Swan River, Iluegel, I have not seen Huegcl's specimens nor any 

 others which I can refer with certainty to Feuzl's C. polf/petala. It may possibly be the 

 same as C. pusiliay but I have never seen in that species more than six petals. 



9. C. pusilla, LindL in Mitch, Trop. Anstr, 360. A small annual, the 

 stems ascending from 1 to 3 or t in. or rarely higher. Leaves radical or on 

 the lower part of the stem, about |- to 1 in. long, much more succulent than 

 in C calyptrala, oblong or linear, mostly petiolate, but dilated and stem- 

 clasping at the base. Eacemes occupying a great part of the stems, but 

 loose and few-flowered, with minute scarious bracts, except the lower ones, 

 which are sometimes leafy, flowers apparently pink, like those of C\ calyp* 

 trata, except that the sepals are veiy broad aud obtuse, coloured with scarious 

 margins, attaining \\ lines when in fruit. Petals 5 or 6, oblong. Stamens 

 5 to 8; anthers small. Style divided to the base into 3 short, thick, stig- 

 matic branches. Capsule narrow, longer than the calyx, opening in 3 valves. 

 Seeds numerous, much smaller than in C. cahjplrala and minutely pitted. 



Queensland* On the Marauoaj Mitchell, 



N. S. ^Valea. Darhng river, Victorian Expedition, 



Victoria. On the Murray, F. Mueller ; Wimniera river, Dallachj, 



S. Australia. Mount Brown, Holdfast Bay, etc., T, Mueller. 

 . ^V. Australia. Swan lliver, Bnimniond ; Murchison river, OldfiehL 



This and the followiufi; species are united by F. Mueller with C. calf/ptraiUy but the dif- 

 ferences in habit, calyx, and seeds appear to me to be too constant not to admit them as 

 species. 



10. C. voltibilis, Benih. Allied to C. pusilla, and with that species 

 considered by F. Mueller as a variety of 0. cahjptrata, but the seeds and 

 flowers are different. Leaves crowded^ on a short, succulent, branching: stock, 

 linear^oblong, 1 to 1^ in. long, naiTowed below the middle, but dilated at the 

 base. Flowering branches twining, almost leafless, except minute scarious 

 bracts, redicels flexuose, 2 to 6 lines long. Sepals very obtuse, broad aiul 

 succulent, 1^- lines when in flower, 2 lines when in fmit. Petals about as 

 long, withering into a calyptra on the young fruit. Stamens 8 to 10, the 

 filaments slightly dilated at the base, but scarcely united; anthers small. 

 Style cleft almost to the base into 3 linear stigniatie branches. Capside acu- 

 minate, twice as long as the sepals. Seeds strondv pitted. 



N. S. Vv^'ales. Near the Darling river, Beckler. 

 , Australia. Port Lincoln, Wilhehni, 



i 



11. C. calyptrata, ITook.f. in Ilook. Ic, PL t. 296. A small annual, 



