68 XTII. POKTrLACACE.!, 



and shining testa often grauulate ; embryo peripheric. — Disteib. Chiefly 

 tropical American ; species 16. 



Nodes without appendages ; flowers in clusters 1, P. okracea. 



Nodes with stipulary scales ; flowers sohtary 2. P. Wightiana. 



Nodes with a ring of hairs. 



Leaves opposite 3. P. quadrifida. 



Leaves alternate ; root tuberous 4. P. tuhcrosa. 



Leaves terete or nearly so ; root woody 5. P. svffruticosa. 



1. Portulaca oleracea, Lhm. Sp. PI. (1753) p. 445. An annnal 



succulent prostrate lurb ; stems G-12 in. long, reddish, swollen at 

 the nodes, quite glabrous. Leaves fleshy, subsessile, :|-1 in. long, 

 alternate or subopposite, cuneiform, rounded and trinicate at tie 

 apex, spangled when fresh with glistening dots, margins reddish ; 

 stipules (or nodal appendages) 0. Flowers few together, in sessile 

 terminal heads. Sepals unequal, obtuse. Petals 5, obovate, yellow. 

 Stamens 8-12. Style 3-8- (often 5-) partite. Capsules ovoid, cir- 

 cumsciss. Seeds numerous, black, concentrically striate and granulate. 

 El. E. I. V. 1, p. 246 ; Grab. Cat. p. 81 ; Dalz."& Gibs. p. 15; Boiss. 

 n. Orient, v. 1, p. 757 ; Sprague & Gray, 111. Gen. Fl. Amer. v. 1, t. 99 ; 

 Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 1, p. 89 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) 

 p. 125; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 0, part 1, p. 329.— Flowers : Oct.- 

 Dec. The Purshine. Yern. Gliol. 



Yery common throughout the Presidency from Sind to Kanara, as a weed in 

 gardens and cultivated ground. The leaves are used as a potherb by the natives, 

 and with the seeds as a domestic remedy by the Hindus. — A full account of their 

 uses may be found in Watt's Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



2. Portulaca "Wightiana, WaU. Cat. (182S) 6845. A small 

 much-branched prostrate herb, 2-4 in. ; stetns stout, consisting of a 

 number of short, angled, glabrous, easily separable joints about g in. 

 long. Leaves alternate, |-^ in. long, ovate, acute, fleshy, easily de- 

 tachable ; stipules (or nodal appendages) in a whorl of about <>, scarious, 

 lanceolate, very acute, persistent, silvery-white, as long as and almost 

 concealing the leaves. Flowers terminal, sessile, solitary, surrounded 

 by an involucre of flesliy leaves and a number of thread-like silvery 

 scales. Sepals broadly oblong-elliptic, rounded at the apex, membranous. 

 Petals 4, longer than the sepals, united to them at the base and coming 

 off with them and the lid of the capsule. Stamens 8 ; anthers yellow. 

 Style 4-fid to g its length. Seeds numerous, reniform, brown, granulate. 

 El. B. I. V. 1, p. 247 ; ^Y. & A. Prodr. p. 356 ; Trim. El. Ceyl. v. 1, 

 p. 89 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1897) p. 125.— Flowers : 

 July-Oct. 



Rare; found in the southern districts of the Presidency. S. M. Countkv : Badami, 

 Cooke\, Woodrovjl ; Londa, Woodrow; Belgaum, Woodrow. — Distkih. Ceylon. 



3. Portulaca quadrifida, Linn. Mant. (1767) p. 73. A small 

 diffuse annual ; stems filiform, glabrous, rooting at the nodes. Leaves 

 opposite, fleshy, }^-\ in. long, ovate, acute ; stipules (or nodal appen- 

 dages) a ring of silvery hairs ; petioles short. Flowers terminal, solitary, 

 subsessile, surroinided by f-ilvery hairs and an involucre of 4 leaves. 

 Sepals broadly oblong, rounded at the apex. Petals 4, yellow, oblong- 

 obovate. Stamens 8. Style slender, 4-fl(l to near the middle. Capsules 



