23 



2 Stipules present. Stamens 5, or fewer 



2 Stipules present. Stamens 5 to 10. Petals ovate, entire, 



ORDER XXIII. PORTULACE.E. 



A small Order containing but few useful plants. The common 

 " Purslane " is well known, and has become an almost cosmopolitan 

 weed The South African Porhdacaria afra has been recommended 

 as food for herbivorous animals, and plants of it have been exported 

 from Cape Colony to several places for trial. It is known as " Spek- 

 boom." Number of species about 125. 



(Ex. Purslane; Spekboom.) 



Capsules half inferior, many seeded, opening transversly. Portulaoa. 

 Capsules 3 valved, splitting longitudinally. Seeds 



wingless. Talinum. 



Qapsules 3 winged, indehiscent 1 seeded. Portulaoaria. 



List of Species. 



2 Portulaoaria, Jaeg. 



1 Portulaca, Linn. 

 oleracea, Linn. 

 pilosa, Linn. 

 quadrifida, L. 



AB. 



9 



z. 



ORDER XXVI. 



afra, Jacq. AB. 



3 Talinum, Adans. 

 caffrum, E. ^ Z. AB. 



HlTERICINEiE. 



Herbaceous or half shrubby plants, natives of temperate climates. 

 Their leaves, petals, and sepals have usually a number of dark- 

 coloured glands, which contain a bitter, resinous juice, and some of 

 the species have been used medicinally. Hypericum is our only genus, 

 Number of species about ^10. 



