PARONYCHIE^. (WHITLOW-WORT FAMILT.) 159 



2. POL.YCARPOX, L. Polycakpon. 



Calyx parted into 5, keeled, scarious-margined lobes, hooded at 

 a])ex. Petals 5, obovate to oblong. Stamens 3-5, inserted on a perigy- 

 nous disk. Style trifid at apex. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds with cmv- 

 ed back and straight face — Herbs with scarious-silvery stipules and 

 bracts. 



* Stipules and h'acts all scarious ; bracts embracing base of calyx. 



1. P. tetrapliyllum, L. .1 to .2, stems many times 2-3- 

 forked, from a diffuse base. Leaves oblong-spathulate to elliptical, 

 those of stem 4,-raiiJcecl, of branches opposite. Cymes rather loose ; 

 pedicels longer than calyx ; sepals ovate, mucronate ; petals notched, 

 half as long as calyx ; Stamens 3 ; style shorter than ovary — Spring 

 and Summer — Roadsides everywhere. 



2. P. Arabicum, Boiss. .02 to .04 ; stems prostrate. 

 Leaves small, flleshy, op2^osite, linear-oblong. Cymes dense ; pedicels as 

 long as calyx ; sepals oblong, obtuse, with broad, scarious margin ; 

 petals oblong-linear, as long as calyx ; stamens 5 ; style twice as long 

 as ovary — March — Sandy places ; Et-Tih and Sinai. 



* * Stipules and bracts with green nerve ; bracts shorter than pedicels. 



3. P, succuleutum, Del. .03 to .1, stems Fig. 73 

 prostrate. Leaves fleshy, in fours or opposite, oblong- 

 spathulate to linear-oblong, tapering into a petiole. 

 Cyme loose, few-flowered ; pedicels often longer than 

 calyx ; sepals oblong, obtuse, the interior longer ; 

 petals oblong-obovate, as long as calyx ; style longer 



than ovary — Spring — Sands ; Beirut : southern Pales- , ^^ 



,. T •' , ^ ?. -T, , ' -^ c\- • (a) flower of P, 



tine, and southward to Egypt and Smai. succuientum. 



(6) Capsule, showing the 3-fid styles. 



3. POjLYCARPiEA, Lam. Polycarp^a. 



Calyx parted into 5, somewhat flattened, acute, scarious-margined 

 lobes. Petals 5, lanceolate, half as long as calyx. Stamens 5, some- 

 times with 5 staminoids opposite the petals, all inserted in a perigynous 

 disk ; style capitate at apex or tripartite. Capsule 3-valved ; seeds 

 pear-shaped, somewhat incurved — Herbs or shrubs, resembling Poly- 

 carpon. 



P. fragili§, Del. 1(! Qumeilah. MaTcMr. .1 to .3, appressed- 



crisp-tomeutellous ; stems herbaceous, prostrate, bran- Fia. 74. 

 ching, brittle. Leaves somewhat rigid, opposite or 

 clustered, minute, lanceolate, acutish, with revolute mar- 

 gins. Cymes dense, terminal, panicled ; calyx-lobes 

 ovate, with broad, scarious margin, and prominent 

 green nerve, mucronate ; style as long as ovary ; stigma 

 capitate ; seeds 8-10 — Spring — Sinai, and northward FiowerofP 

 and eastward, fragiiis. 



4. HERI^IARIA, L. Herniaria. 



Calyx-lobes 4-5 ; plano-concave. Petals filiform. Stamens 4-5, 

 inserted at the throat of the calyx. Styles 3, free or united, bifid at 



