POETUI.ACACEAE 463 



PORTULACACEAE. Purslane Family. 



Ours low herbs with siRM-ulciit fiitire leaves and regular perfect flowers. 

 Calyx chorisepalous (sj'iisepalous and superior in Portulaca). Sepals 2 (or 

 in Lewisia 2 to 8), fewer than the petals. Petals commonly 5 (3 to 16), 

 oi)eninf!: only in sunshine, withering (piickly. Stamens 3 to 20, sometimes 

 more numerous, ojiposite the petals when of the same number. Ovary 1-celled, 

 commonly superior; styles 2 to 8, united below or distinct, stigmatic along 

 the inside. Fruit a capsule, dehiscent from the apex by 2 or 3 valves, or 

 circumscissile and the top falling away as a lid. — About 140 species in 16 

 genera, all continents but mostly America. 



Bibliog.— Gray, A., Portulacacoae | of N. Am.], (Proc. Am. Acad. 22: 272-285,-1887). 

 BramluKi'L', K., Studies in I'ortulacaceae (Proc. Cal. Acad. scr. 2, 4: 86-91, — 1894). Howell, 

 Thos., itearrangement of Am. Portulacaceae (Erythoa, 1: 29-41,-1893). 

 Capsule 2 to 3-valved ; sepals 2, distinct and free from the ovary, persistent. 



Style 1, stigmas 2; flowers mostly in scorpioid spikes; capsule 2-valved; sepal.s jjlane, 



scarious or Bcarious-margiuod 1. Calyptbiuium. 



Style-branches 3 ; sepals more or less concave. 



Flowers in leafy racemes or in panicles; petals commonly red, showy; stamens mostly 



5 or more; seed numerous; annuals 2. Cai.andrinia. 



Flowers in naked or merely bracteate racemes; petals commonly white or j)inkish; 

 seeds few (3 to 6). 

 Stems from mostly fibrous roots; stamens 5 (or 3); annuals, or perennials by 



rhizomes or stolons 3. Mo.ntia. 



Stems from thick roots or corms; stamens ."i 4. Claytonia. 



Capsule circumscissile; stamens few to numerous. 



Sepals 2 to 8, distinct and free from the ovary, persistent .5. Lkwisia. 



Sepals 2, united below and partly adherent to the ovary, the free upper portion deciduous. . 



6. Portulaca. 



1. CALYPTRIDIUM Nutt. 

 Herbs with alternate or basal spatulate leaves. Flowers small, in panicles 

 or mostly in solitary or clustered scorpioid spikes. Sepals 2, scarious or 

 scarious-margined, orbicular. Petals 2 to 4. Stamens 1, 2, or 3. Style simple; 

 stigmas 2. Capsule membranous, 2-valved, few to many-seeded. — Species 6, 

 western North America. (Greek kaluptra, a calyi)lra, the petals closing over 

 each other and carried up on the car)sulc. ) 



Style very short, this and the 1, 2, or 3 stamens included; c^ipsule 5 to 20-seeded.— Suligenus 

 EUCALYPTRIDHIM. 

 Spikes not scorpioid, borne in a panicle; petals 3 (or 2); stamen 1; capsule 3 to 4 times 



length of fruiting calyx 1. C. inonandrum. 



Spikes scorpioid, sometimes very short; capsule little or not at all surpassing fruiting 

 calyx. 



Petals 2 ; stamen 1 2. C. roseum. 



Petals 4; stamens in same species 1, 2, or 3. 



Sepals not cmarginate or reniform at base; Southern California. . . .3. C. parryi. 



Sepals round-reniform; Clear Lake region 4. C. qtuulripctabim. 



Style long, filiform, this and the 3 stamens exserted; capsule few-seeded. — Subgenus Si"RA<iL'EA. 



Spikes borne in an umbel or capitate-congested at summit of the scape-like stems 



.'5. C. umhfllatum. 



1. C. monandriim Nutt. Annual; stems several from the base, spreading 

 or prostrate, 1 or 4 to 9 inches long; leaves mostly in a basal rosette, some 

 scattered along the stem, linear-spatulate, % to 2 (or 3) inches long; flowers 

 in short sjjikes in a terminal panicle: panicle 1 1o 6 inches long: sepals 1 line 

 long, little accrescent; petals commonly 3; capsule linear, compressed, be- 

 coming much exserted, 3 to 4 lines long, more or less curvetl on dehiscence, 

 5 to IG-seeded. 



Monterey Co. south to San Diego, east to the Colorado and Jlohave deserts 

 and north to Kern and In.vo cos. Arizona. 



Locs. — Nacimii-nto Kiver, Eastwood; Hernandez. Kaxtwnod; Ft. Tejon, ace. Greene (Fl. Fr. 

 181) ; N. Fork Kern River, Purpus 5720; Argus Peak, Ball ^ Chandler 6900; Barstow, Jepson 

 5379; Pampa, Kern Co., Heller 7641; Coaehella, Ball 5811; Carrizo Creek, T. Brandegee ; 



