412 TETKAGONIACEAE 



with a green midnerve and a reticulation of green secondary nerves : capsule subglobose, 

 1.5-2 mm. in diameter : seeds finely reticulated. 



On wet or dry plains or prairies, Texas to California and Mexico. Also widely distributed in tem- 

 perate and tropical regions. Spring to fall. 



2. Mollugo verticillata L. Foliage glabrous. Stems branched at the base, the 

 branches slender, spreading radially, prostrate, 4-30 cm. long, forking : leaves in apparent 

 whorls of 4-8 ; blades unequal, narrowly or broadly spatulate, 1-3 cm. long, rounded or 

 acute at the apex, entire, short-petioled : pedicels 3-8 mm. long, reflexed in fruit : sepals 

 oblong, 2 mm. long, obtuse, with hyaline margins : stamens 3, shorter than the sepals : 

 styles 3, the tips recurved : capsule oblong or oval, 4-5 mm. long, surpassing the sepals : 

 seeds red, 0.6 mm. broad, shining. 



In waste places and cultivated grounds, New Brunswick, Ontario and North Dakota to Florida, 

 Texas and Mexico. Widely distributed. Spring to fall. CARPET-WEED. 



2. GLINUS L. 



Annual herbs, with forking branches and usually pubescent foliage. Leaves basal and 

 cauline, whorled, often fleshy : blades unequal : stipules hyaline. Flowers perfect, sessile, 

 clustered. Sepals 5, with hyaline borders, tomentose without. Stamens mostly 5-10 : 

 filaments filiform : anthers 2-celled. Ovary 3-5-celled, superior : styles very short or 

 none : stigmas sometimes sessile. Ovules numerous. Capsule often included in the calyx, 

 3-5-valved. Seeds numerous, strophiolate, with elongated coiled funiculi : aril conspicuous. 



1. Glinus lotoides Loefl. Foliage villous-pilose, especially when young. Stems 

 stout, more or less diffusely branched at the base, the branches radially spreading, 0.5-3 

 dm. long, forking : leaves apparently whorled ; blades very unequal, suborbicular, often 

 broader than long, rounded or apiculate ; petioles shorter than the blades : flowers 

 sessile or nearly so : sepals linear-lanceolate, 3-4 mm. long, acuminate, pubescent, with 

 hyaline margins : stamens 5 : stigmas sessile : capsule oblong-ovoid, 3 mm. long, shorter 

 than the sepals : seeds dull red, 0.6 mm. broad, granular. 



In waste places and cultivated soil, the Indian Territory and Arkansas. Summer. Naturalized 

 from Europe. A related species G. Cambessidteii Fenzl., with a less robust habit, smaller flowers, 3-5 

 stamens and smooth seeds, occurring from Mexico and lower Calif ornia, to South America and in Cuba, 

 has apparently been collected in Texas. 



3. CYPSELEA Turp. 



Annual or probably perennial, rather diminutive herbs, with elongated roots. Leaves 

 opposite, those of each pair unequal, with laciniate scarious stipules. Flowers axillary. 

 Sepals 4-5, erect, green, unequal, unappendaged. Hypanthium campanulate. Stamens 

 1-3, alternate with the sepals : filaments shorter than the calyx. Ovary 2-celled, or 

 1-celled by suppression, superior : styles usually 2, erect. Ovules numerous. Capsule 

 eircumscissile. Seeds minute, estrophiolate, becoming detached from the straight funiculi 

 which remain attached to the central placenta. 



1. Cypselea humifusa Turp. Low, glabrous. Stems densely branched at the base, 

 the branches prostrate, forming small mats 2-10 cm. broad : leaf-blades oblong to oval, 3-9 

 mm. long, obtuse, pellucid-punctate, on short petioles with dilated hyaline bases; stipules 

 becoming lacerate : flowers greenish, axillary, short-pedicelled : sepals 5, ovate : stamens 

 3 or sometimes 1 or 2, alternate with the sepals : capsule subglobose, 1.5-2 mm. in diame- 

 ter, apiculate. 



In sandy pine lands, peninsular Florida and California. Introduced from the West Indies. 



4. TRIANTHEMA L. 



Annual or perennial herbs or shrubby plants, with a spreading habit. Stem com- 

 monly branched at the base. Leaves opposite, those of each pair unequal, with stipules. 

 Flowers axillary. Sepals 5, petal -like, with horn -like appendages on the back below the 

 apex. Stamens 5-6, or sometimes 10 : filaments alternating with sepals when of the same 

 number. Ovary 2-celled, or 1-celled by suppression, superior, truncate : styles usually 2, 

 sometimes eccentric. Ovules few. Capsule turbinate to cylindric, tardily eircumscissile, 

 often leathery or corky above, with usually 2 marginal crests partly or wholly surrounding 

 the oblique concave top. 



1. Trianthema Portulacastrum L. Perennial, fleshy, sometimes sparingly pubes- 

 cent. Stems diffusely branched at the base, the branches often prostrate, 5-10 dm. long, 



