1~2 FICOIDE.E. 



OuDKK UG. FICOIDEyE. 



Herbs or shrubs, witli simple exstijmlatc siH'ciilciit leaves, poU'peta- 

 lous or ain'talous flowers, capsular 2-several-<.:elle(I fruit, with central 

 placenta\an(l curved or annular embryo enclosing mealy albumen. — 

 A small order, represented here by two tribes or suborders. 



Synopsis. 



Tribe I. SESl'VIE^. Culyx 5-i)arted, free, or nearly so, from the 1-5-celled ovary. 

 Corolla iiuiie. Stamens inserted on tlie calyx. Cai>Htile circiuuscisBile. — Seaside 

 plants, with nearly opposite leaves, and small axillary Howers. 



1. CYPSELK.\. Sepals obtuse. Stamens 2 -3. Style 'J-parted. Capsule 1 -celled. 



2. TR1.\NTHEMA. Sf pals mucronate. Stamens 5. Style entire. Capsule 1 - 'i-oelled. 



3. SESUVIUM. Sepals mucronate. Stamens 5 ormore. Styles 3-5. Capsule 3- 5-celled. 



Tribe II. MOLL.UGINE.iE. Calyx 5-sepalled. Corolla none. Stamens hypogy- 

 nous. Capsule valvate. — Prostrate annual herbs, with whorled leaves, and axillary 

 flowers. 



4. MOLLUGO. Capsule 3-valved, 3-ceUed. Sepals white. 



1. CYPSELEA, Turp. 



Calyx 5-parted. Petal.-J none. Stanieus 1-3, alternate with tlie calyx 

 lobes. Styles 2. Capsule circumscissile. 



1. C. humiftisa, Turp. Small, aunual, decumljent, glabrous, ])ranchiiig; 

 leaves nearly <j]»pusite, ohovate or oval, dotted (\}/'-2" long), tlie petiole 

 dilated and with nienihranous margins at the base; stipules laciuiate ; tlowers 

 axillary, small, greenish. — South Florida (Blodgett). 



2. TRIANTHEMA, Sauvages. 



Sepals 3. Stigmas 1 or 2. Capsule 1- or 2-celled, 1- or few-seeded. Oth- 

 erwise, Avith the characters and hal)it of Sesuvium. 



1. T. monogyna, L. Perennial; stem dichotomons, diffuse (2°-3° 

 long) ; leaves op])Osite, obovate, sul)connate by their dilated petioles; flowers 

 axillary, ses.sile, purple within ; stamens 5 ; stigma single; capsule 1 -celled, 

 4-8-seeded. — Keys of South Florida {Garber, Curtiss). 



3. SESUVIUM, L. Sea Pirslaxe. 



Sepals 5, free, united at the base, persistent, colored within. Petals none. 

 Stamens 5, or numerous, inserted on the calyx. Styles 3-5. Capsule 3 - 5- 

 celled, many-seeded, circumscissile. — Prostrate and fleshy maritime jdants, 

 with nearly opposite and entire leaves, and axillary purplish flowers. 



1. S. portulacastrum, L. Leaves lanceolate and oblong, acute, on 

 winged and clas])iiig ])eti(des ; flowers pedicelled ; sepals fleshy, lanceolate, 

 mucronate, purple within ; stamens numerous. — Sandy or muddy ])laces 

 along the coast. May - Dec. ^ — Stems diffuse, creeping. 



2. S. pentandrum, Ell. Leaves spatulate-obovate, obtuse, on slightly 

 winged and clasping petioles; flowers sessile; .sepals ovate-lanceolate; sta- 

 mens 5. — Muddy saline coves, F^lorida to North Carolina. May -Nov. 

 (T^l — Stems (often erect) and flowers smaller than in the preceding. 



