90 PorttdacaceCB. \Portulaca. 



Dry region by the coast ; very rare. Abundant on dried mud flats 

 near Illupaikaduvai, Mannar Dist., 1890. Fl. Feb. ; bright yellow. 



Also in the Carnatic, S. India. 



First found by Koenig, whose specimens (in Brit. Mus.) are labelled 

 ' Zeylona, ad littora maris prajcipue prope Ramanad ' (which may rather 

 be in India). 



A very remarkable little plant, closely covered with dead white 

 glistening leafy scales, which persist after the leaves have fallen. 



3. P. quadrifida, L. Moiit. 72) {^7(>7)- Hin-g-enda-kola, S. 



Moon Cat. ^7. Thw. Enum. 23. C. P. iioo. 



Fh B. Ind. i. 247. Wight, 111. ii. t. 109. 



A prostrate, much-branched annual, creeping and rooting 

 at the nodes, with numerous, slender, glabrous stems ; 1. 

 numerous, opposite, \ in., very nearly sessile, oval, sub-obtuse, 

 very fleshy (lenticular on section), stipular appendages a ring 

 of long white hairs ; fl. solitary, terminal, sessile, surrounded 

 with long white hairs and an involucre of 4 leaves ; sep. 

 oblong-oval, obtuse, thin ; pet. 4, oval, obtuse ; stam. 8 ; style 

 filiform, 4-fid at apex ; capsule acute ; seeds twice the size of 

 P. oleracea, muriculate, dark brown. 



Extremely common in cultivated ground in the low country, extending 

 up to 3000 ft. 



Fl. all the year ; lemon-yellow, open in the middle of the day only. 



Throughout tropical Asia and Africa, a common weed. 



Variable ; in dry places often very small, with the stipular hairs very 

 long and shaggy. 



4. P. tuberosa, Roxb. Hort. Beng. 91 (18 14). Ura-g-enda, S. 



Thw. Enum. 401. C. P. 3638. 



Fl. B. Ind. i. 247(?). 



A perennial herb, with a very large, thick, branched, fusi- 

 form root, and numerous, prostrate, straggling, succulent, 

 glabrous branches, 6-15 in. long ; 1. alternate, crowded at 

 ends of branches, very shortly stalked, lanceolate- or linear- 

 oblong, obtuse, rather fleshy, stipular appendages a ring of 

 crisp hairs ; fl. solitary, terminal, sessile, with a ring of hair 

 and an involucre of 4 or 5 long leaves ; sep. very thin ; cap- 

 sule apiculate ; seeds nearly smooth, black. 



Rocks on the seashore ; rather common on the S.W. coast. Colombo ; 

 Bentota ; Dondra Head. 



Fl. Jan. -Feb. ; yellow. 



Also in Sind ar^ii parts of Peninsular India. 



This is probably Roxburgh's plant, but it is doubtful if it be that 

 described in Fl. B. Ind., which is said to have terete leaves and flowers in 

 clusters ; and in several other respects the description given does not 

 tally with ours. 



5. P. suffruticosa, Wight in Wall. Cat. n. 6842 (1828). 

 Thw. Enum. 24. C. P. iioi. 



Fl. B. Ind. i. 247 (not given for Ceylon). 



