CARYOPHYLLACE.^. (PINK FAMILY.) 39 



3. PORTULACA, Tourn. Purslane. 



Sepals 2, united and cohering with the ovary below, the upper portion cir- 

 cumscissile and deciduous witli the upper part of the capsule. Petals 4-6, 

 inserted with the 8 -20 stamens on the calyx. Style 3 - 8-parted. Capsule 

 globose, 1-celled, many-seeded. — Low, fleshy herbs, with terete or flat, mostly 

 alternate leaves, and fugacious yellow or purple flowers. 



1. P. oleracea, L. Leaves flat, cuneate, naked in the axils ; flowers yel- 

 low; stamens 10- 12. — Cultivated ground everywhere. — Stem prostrate. 



2. P. pilosa, L. Stem mostly prostrate and diffusely branched ; leaves 

 linear, woolly in the axils ; flowers clustered, purple ; stigmas 4 ; stamens 

 10-15. — Waste grouud. Introduced. 



3. P. halimoides, L. Stem thick, erect (3'- 6' high), branching ; leaves 

 terete, woolly in the axils ; flowers few, in a terminal cluster, immersed in 

 wool, and surrounded by a whorl of short subulate bracts ; petals 4-6, yellow ; 

 stamens 8- 12. — Shell-Hummocks at Sarasota Bay ( Garher). 



Order 16. CARYOPHYLLACE^E. (Pink Family.) 



Herbs with tumid joints, entire opposite or whorled, often connate 

 leaves, and regular hypogynous or perigynous cymose flowers. Stip- 

 ules dry and scarious, or none. — Sepals 4-5, imbricated in the bud, 

 persistent. Petals 4-5. Stamens as many as the sepals and opposite 

 them, or twice as many, or by abortion fewer. Ovary free, 1-5- 

 celled, with the amphitropous or campylotropous ovules attached to a 

 central placenta. Styles 2 - 5, distinct or partly united, stigmatic 

 along the inner side. Fruit valvate, 1 - many-seeded. Embryo curved, 

 or forming a ring around mealy albumen. 



Synopsis. 



Tbibe I. SIL1ENE.E. Sepals united into a tube. Petals and stamens inserted on the 

 stipe of the ovary. — Stipules none. 



1. SILENE. Styles 3. Capsule 0-toothed. 



2. SAPONARIA. Styles 2. Capsule 4-toothed. 



3. AGROSTEarMA. Styles 5. Capsule 5-toothed. 



Tribe II. ALSINE^. Sepals separate or nearly so. Stamens inserted at the base 

 of the sessile ovary. — Stipules none. 



* Valves of the capsule as many as the styles. 



4. SAGINA. Styles and valves 4-5. 



5. ALSINE. Styles and valves 3. 



« * Valves or teeth of the capsule twice as many as the styles. 



6. ARENARIA. Valves of the capsule 2-4, each soon 2-cleft. Petals entire. 



7. STELLARIA. Valves of the capsule G - 10. Petals 2-cleft. 



8. CERASTIUM. Capsule 8 -10-toothed. 



Tribe III. SPERGULiE.ai;. Sepals separate. Ovary sessile. Leaves stipulate. 

 ^- Leaves opposite. 



9. STIPULICIDA. Stem-leaves minute ; the lowest spatulate. Flowers in terminal 



clusters. 



