AIZOACEAE. 127 



1. MOLLUGO L. Carpet-weed. 



Annuals, ours prostrate, glabrous, much-branched, 

 with vertlclllate stipulate leaves. Stipules scarious, 

 membranous, deciduous. Flowers axillary on long 

 slender pedicels. Calyx 5-parted, persistent; sepals 

 scarious-margined. Petals none. Stamens 3-5. Ov- 

 ary ovoid or globose, 3-celled. Capsule 3-celled, 3- 

 valved, loculicidally dehiscent. 



1. M. verticillata L. Stem much branched, prostrate, 10-20 

 cm. long, glabrous, not succulent; leaves in whorls of 5's or 6's, 

 spatulate to linear-lanceolate, entire, obtuse, 10-25 mm. long, nar- 

 rowed to a short petiole; flowers 1.5-2 mm. broad; sepals oblong, 

 slightly shorter than the ovoid capsule; capsule roughened by the 

 projecting seeds; seeds minute, smooth and shining or slightly 

 granular. 



Growing in damp places near borders of pools. Garvanza, 

 Davidson; Laguna, Orange County. 



2. SESUVIUM L. Sea Purslane. 



Stems prostrate or decumbent, fleshy with opposite 

 exstipulate leaves. Flowers solitary in the axils, sessile 

 or on short stout pedicels. Calyx-tube turbinate, free 

 from the ovary, the lobes 5, often purplish within, oblong, 

 obtuse. Petals none. Stamens 5-many; filaments 

 united at the base into sets. Ovary 3-5-celled, with as 

 many styles. Capsule membranous, ovate-oblong, clr- 

 cumscissile at the middle. Seeds many, minute, smooth. 



1. S. sessile Pers, Stems prostrate, much branched, 1-3 dm. 

 long or more; leaves broadly spatulate or linear, 1-4 cm. long; 

 flowers sessile or nearly so, 6-10 mm. long; sepals ovate-lanceolate, 

 scarious-margined, 6 mm. long; filaments united below the middle, 

 red. 



Occasional in low saline places. June-September. 



3. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM L. Ice-plant. 



Ours very fleshy maritime herbs, with opposite exstipu- 

 late leaves. Flowers large and showy, terminal and 

 In the forks of the branches. Calyx-tube adnate to the 

 ovary, the lobes 5, unequal, herbaceous. Petals numer- 

 ous, linear. Stamens very numerous, w^ith slender fila- 

 ments, inserted with the petals on the tube of the calyx. 

 Capsule 4-20-celled, with as many styles, dehiscing at 

 the depressed summit by stellate valves. Seeds minute, 

 many. 



