174 Key to the System of 



ALTERNANTHERA. 



835. Sepals quite glabrous. 



Prostrate, slightly beset with hairlets ; leaves from broad- 

 linear to elliptic-lanceolar, minutely denticulated ; spikes 

 very short, often cluster-like ; bracts, bracteoles and 

 sepals very scarious, pointed ; two or three only of the 

 stamens anther-bearing. A. triandra. 



EUXOLUS. 



836. Fruit considerably longer than the sepals. 



Dwarf, diffuse ; leaves small, conspicuously stalked, from 

 spatular- to elliptical-obovate, their lateral venules costu- 

 lar ; flowers mostly in axillary clusters ; sepals usually 

 three, narrow, pointed ; fruit reticular-rough. 



E. macrocarpns. 



POXiYCNEZKON. 



837. Sepals somewhat succulent. 



Herbaceous, prostrate ; leaves semicylindrical ; sepals con- 

 siderably longer than the bracteoles, colored inside ; 

 stamens five ; stigmas about as long as the style. 

 Figure 34. P. pentandrum. 



Sepals dry. 



Somewhat shrubby, ascending ; leaves thinly semicylindrical, 

 the floral leaves dilated at the base ; sepals about as long 

 as the bracteoles, whitish ; stamens two ; stigmas much 

 shorter than the style. P. diaiidrum. 



SAX.SOX.ACEAE. 

 SALXCORNXA. 



838. Herbaceous. 



Comparatively dwarf; rudimentary leaves hardly prominent; 

 spikes elongated, rather thin, with blunt bracts ; flowers 

 few or several together ; calyx somewhat succulent, ter- 

 minated by three or four minute lobes ; stamens two ; 

 seed placed vertically. S. Australis. 



Shrubby 839 



839. Spikes thick, with acute bracts. 



Tall, very robust ; rudimentary leaves opposite, deltoid, 

 very prominent ; flowers three together, the middle one 



