466 SCLERANTHACEX.—PORTULACACE &.—TAMARICACE 4. 
Genera :—Illecebrum, Linn. ; Corrigiola, Linn. There are about 
100 species. 
Properties and Uses.—Slightly astringent. 
Paronychia.—The flowers and leaves of Paronychia argentea and P. nivea 
are used in the preparation of a kind of tea in France, which is employed 
as a remedy for persons suffering from oppression of the chest, or from any 
difficulty of digestion. It is known as Thé Arabe or Sanguinaire. 
Order 3. SCLERANTHACES, the Scleranthus Order.—Diagnosis 
&c.—This is a small order of inconspicuous herbs, generally 
considered as a sub-order of Paronychiacex, but from which 
its plants are distinguished by the want of stipules; by being 
apetalous ; by the tube of their calyx becoming hardened and 
covering the fruit, which is solitary and 1-celled ; and by their 
stamens being evidently perigynous. They are valueless weeds 
found in barren places in the temperate regions of the globe. 
There are about 14 species, of which two species belonging to 
the genus Scleranthus are natives of Britain. Their uses are 
unknown. 
Order 4. PoRTULACACE, the Purslane Order.—Character. 
—Succulent herbs or shrubs, with entire exstipulate leaves. 
Flowers unsymmetrical. Sepals 2, or rarely more, united at the 
base. Petals usually 5, distinct or united. Stamens perigynous 
or hypogynous, varying in number, sometimes opposite to the 
petals ; filaments distinct ; anthers 2-celled, versatile. Ovary 
superior, or rarely partially adherent. /'ruit capsular, usually 
dehiscing transversely, or by valves ; sometimes indehiscent ; 
placenta free central. Seeds numerous or solitary ; embryo curved 
round farinaceous albumen. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Natives of waste dry places in 
various parts of the world, but chiefly at the Cape of Good 
Hope and in South America. Illustrative Genera :—Portulaca, 
Tourn.; Claytonia, Linn. There are about 190 species. 
Properties and Uses.—The fleshy root of Claytonia tuberosa 
is edible. Portulaca oleracea has been used from the earliest 
times as a pot-herb, and in salads. It possesses cooling and 
antiscorbutic properties. Many of the plants have large showy 
flowers. 
Order 5. TAMARICACE®, the Tamarisk Order.—C haracter. 
—Shiubs or herbs, with alternate entire scale-like leaves, and 
spiked or racemose flowers. Caly« 4—5-partite, imbricate, per- 
sistent. Petals distinct, and attached to the calyx, withering, 
imbricate. Stamens hypogynous; anthers introrse. Ovary 
superior, 1-celled, with 3 distinct styles. rwit 1-celled, with 
3 parietal or basal placentas, and dehiscing loculicidally by 3 
valves. Seeds numerous, comose, without albumen, and having 
a straight embryo, with the radicle towards the hilum. 
Distribution and Numbers.—The plants of this order usually 
grow by the sea-side, or sometimes on the margins of rivers or 
