414 POKTULACACEAE 



regular, usually symmetrical. Perianth of two whorls. Calyx of 2 sepals. 

 Corolla of 4 or 5 or rarely more hypogynous imbricated petals. Disk wanting. 

 Androecium of as many hypogynous stamens as there are petals, or sometimes 

 fewer, or more. Filaments slender. Anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise. 

 Gynoecium of several united carpels. Ovary 1-celled. Styles 2-5, distinct or 

 united. Stigmas 2-5. Ovules 2-many, amphitropous. Fruit a membranous or 

 crustaceous capsule, dehiscing usually by 3 valves, or circumsclssile. Seeds 

 2-many, with the embryo curved or coiled around the mealy endosperm. 



Ovary and capsule superior : capsule 3-valved. 



Sepals deciduous : stamens more numerous than the sepals or petals : capsules many-seeded. 



1. TALINUM. 



Sepals persistent : stamens as many as the sepals or petals : capsules few-seeded. 2. CLAYTONIA. 

 Ovary and capsule wholly or partially inferior : capsule circumscissile. 3. PORTULACA. 



1. TALINUM A dans. 



Perennial herbs or shrubby plants, with usually glabrous foliage. Stems very short or 

 elongated, often surmounted by wire-like peduncles. Leaves fleshy, alternate or nearly 

 opposite : blades flat or terete, entire: stipules wanting. Flowers axillary or variously dis- 1 

 posed at the end of the scape, showy. Sepals 2, herbaceous deciduous. Petals 5 or more, 

 early withering. Stamens usually more numerous than the petals : filaments filiform. 

 Ovary superior : styles 3, more or less united. Ovules numerous in the cavity. Capsules 1- 

 celled, parchment-like, 3-valved. Seeds flattened, somewhat reniform, with a shining testa. 



Flowers axillary. 



Leaves linear : stamens about 20 : peduncles wanting or very short. 1. T. lineare. 



Leaves broadest above or below the middle : stamens about 25 : peduncles about 



as long as the pedicels. 2. T. aurantiacum. 



Flowers in terminal cymes, sometimes panicled. 

 Leaves terete : flowers in terminal cymes. 



Capsules elliptic. 3. T. parviflorum. 



Capsules subglobose. 



Petals 5, less than 8 mm. long : stamens less than 25 : capsules less than 6 



mm. long. 4. T. tcretifolium. 



Petals 8-10. over 8 mm. long : stamens over 25 : capsules over 6 mm. long. 5. T. calijcinum. 

 Leaves flat: flowers in panicled cymes. 6. T. reflejum. 



1. Talinum lineare H.B.K. Foliage glabrous. Stems slender, erect or ascending, 

 simple or branched, 1-4 dm. tall : leaf-blades flattish, linear, 2-7 cm. long, acute or 

 acutish, sessile or nearly so : flowers axillary : corolla yellow, 2-3 cm. broad : peduncles 

 very short or wanting : pedicels 1-2 cm. long, curved in fruit : sepals ovate, 5 6 mm. long, 

 acute: stamens about 20: capsule subglobose, 5-6 mm. long: seeds obovoid, 2 rum. long, 

 with curved ridges which are finely transverse- wrinkled. 



In sandy soil, Texas and New Mexico to Mexico. Summer. 



2. Talinum aurantiacum Engelm. Foliage glabrous or puberulent. Stems simple 

 and erect or branched below, the branches spreading, 1-5 dm. long : leaf-blades flattish, 

 linear-lanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 2-7 cm. long, sessile or nearly so : flowers axillary : 

 corolla golden yellow to red, 2-2.3 cm. broad : peduncles slender, as long as the pedicels or 

 shorter, recurved in fruit : sepals ovate, acuminate, 3-keeled : stamens about 25 : filaments 

 red : style orange : capsule subglobose, 6 mm. long : seeds obovoid, 2 mm. long, slightly 

 curved, with curved ridge,s and minute transverse wrinkles. 



In rocky soil and on prairies, Texas to New Mexico. Summer. 



3. Talinum parviflorum Nutt. Foliage glabrous. Stems slender, very short, loosely 

 tufted : leaf-blades terete, 2-5 cm.' long, crowded : scapes solitary or tufted, wire-like, 1-2 

 dm. tall, simple below, corymbosely branched above : peduncles very slender : bracts 

 slightly prolonged backward : sepals ovate or ovate-lanceolate, shorter than the petals : 

 corolla pink, 8-10 mm. broad : stamens 5 : capsule elliptic, 3-4 mm. long. 



In rocky soil, Minnesota to Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. Summer. 



4. Talinum tetetifolium Pursh. Foliage glabrous. Stems short, more or less tufted, 

 otigh : leaf-blades terete, crowded, 2-6 cm. long, acute : peduncles very slender : bracts 



conspicuously prolonged backward : sepals elliptic or ovate, 3-4 mm. long : corolla blue or 

 purplish, 2-3 cm. broad : stamens usually 15-20 : capsule subglobose, 4-5 mm. in diameter : 

 seeds 1 mm. broad, minutely wrinkled. 



In sandy soil or on rocks, Pennsylvania to Minnesota, Florida and Texas. Spring to fall. 



5. Talinum calycinum Engelm. Foliage glabrous. Stems very short, more or less 

 tufted : leaf-blades terete, 1-5 cm. long, acute : scapes wire-like, erect or ascending, 5-20 

 cm. tall, nearly simple or sparingly branched into a corymb above : peduncles very 



