416 ALSINACEAE 



red, yellow or white, 2.5-5 cm. broad : petals cuneate or obovate, notched at the apex : 

 capsules 3-5 mm. high. 



In waste places and cultivated grounds, naturalized in eastern North America. Native of South 

 America. SUN- PLANT. 



2. Portulaca pllosa L. Annual, more or less villous. Stems sparingly or diffusely 

 branched, 0.5-2 dm. long, green, ascending, or the branches spreading : leaves numerous ; 

 blades nearly terete, linear-subulate, 1-2 cm. long : flowers sessile : sepals narrowly oblong : 

 corolla pink, 1.5-2 cm. broad: petals ovate-oblong, obtuse or retuse: stamens 15-25: 

 capsules 4-7 mm. high. 



In dry soil, North Carolina to Arizona, Florida and Mexico. Also in the tropics. Spring to fall. 



3. Portulaca halimoidea L. Perennial or usually so, from a stout fleshy root. 

 Stems erect or diffuse, corymbosely branched, the young branches copiously hairy : leaves 

 few, the upper approximate; blades slightly flattened, 5-12 mm. long, acute*: flowers 

 clustered : corolla yellow : stamens 8-12 : capsules 2.5-3.5 mm. high, the lid depressed, 

 much shorter than the basal portion. 



In sand, Florida Keys. Also in the West Indies. Spring to winter. 



4. Portulaca coronata Small. Annual, glabrous. Stems simple and erect or dif- 

 fusely branched, like the branches, usually deep pink or magenta : leaves rather numerous, 

 alternate ; blades flat but thick, mostly 1-1.5 cm. long, sessile, the lower ones usually ob- 

 lanceolate, the upper oblong or oblong-lanceolate : flowers clustered at the ends of the club- 

 shaped branches : sepals triangular, 2 mm. long : corolla about 5 mm. broad : petals ovate 

 or oblong-ovate, 2 mm. long, 5-7-nerved : stamens 11 or 12 : capsules hemispheric or turbi- 

 nate-hernispheric, about 5 mm. high, the lower portion surmounted by a free edge, the lid 

 rather low, not crested. 



In sand, Little Stone Mountain, Georgia. Fall. 



5. Portulaca lanceolata Engelm. Annual, glabrous. Stems erect, or branched and 

 somewhat diffuse, green : leaves rather few ; blades flat, mostly 1-2 cm. long, sessile, the 

 lower spatulate and obtuse, the upper oblanceolate to oblong, often acute : flowers clustered 

 at the ends of the branches : sepals ovate : corolla yellow, orange or reddish : petals spatu- 

 late or obovate : stamens 7-27 : capsules with a turbinate base surmounted by a narrow 

 crown, and a flattish lid. 



On granite rocks, Texas to Arizona. Summer. 



6. Portulaca oleracea L. Annual, stout, fleshy. Stems usually branched at the base, 

 the branches spreading radially, prostrate, 1-6 dm. long, forking: leaves fleshy; blades 

 cuneate or obovate, 1-3 cm. long, rounded at the apex : buds flattened, acute : flowers ses- 

 sile, opening on sunny mornings : sepals rather acute, keeled : petals yellow : stamens 7-12: 

 styles 5-6, slightly united : capsules 5-9 mm. high. 



In waste places, nearly throughout North America. Also in Central and South America and nat- 

 uralized in the Old World. Spring to fall. PURSLANE. PUSSLEY. DUCKWEED. 



7. Portulaca retusa Engelm. Annual, stout, glabrous, similar to P. oleracea in 

 habit, but rather more slender. Leaf-blades cuneate, 1-2.5 cm. long, mostly retuse or 

 emarginate at the apex : sepals rather obtuse, carinate-winged : petals smaller than those 

 of P. oleracea: stamens about 15 : styles 3-4, well united : capsules 5-6 mm. high. 



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



FAMILY 10. ALSINACEAE Wahl. CHICKWEED FAMILY. 



Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes shrubby at the base, with a watery 

 sap. Stems often diffusely branched. Leaves opposite, with or without stipules : 

 blades various, entire. Flowers mostly perfect, sometimes incomplete. Perianth 

 usually of 2 series. Calyx of 4-5 persistent distinct or nearly distinct sepals. 

 Corolla of 4-5 clawless petals, or wanting. Androecium of twice as many 

 stamens as there are sepals or fewer. Filaments distinct or cohering below. 

 Anthers introree, opening lengthwise. Gynoecium of 2-5 united carpels. 

 Ovary 1-celled or rarely 2-5-celled. Styles 2-5. Ovules several or many, 

 amphitropous or campy lotropous, on a central column. Fruit a capsule, open- 

 ing by valves, these sometimes tooth-like. Embryo more or less curved in the 

 endosperm, usually with incumbent cotyledons. 



Styles partially united. 1. LOEFLINGIA. 



Styles distinct. 



A. Stipules present. 



a. Leaves merely opposite by pairs. 



Flowers in terminal clusters. 2. STIPULICIDA. 



Flowers solitary in the axils. 3. TISSA. 



