PORTULACACEiE. (PURSLANE FAMILY.) 165 



Var. Oriental e, Boiss. Leaves generally narrower than in 

 type ; the upper elliptical-linear, somewhat acute. Capsule about a 

 third longer than calyx — June to October — Lebanon and Antile- 

 banon to Aintab, Marash, and northward. 



2. T, spliaerospermum, Boiss. <g> .1 to .25, glabrous, 

 glaucous ; stems prostrate, simple, leaf v. Leaves .005 to .008 long, 

 oblong-elliptical, sometimes acutish. Capsule ovate-triquetrous, with- 

 out a heah, 25-30-seeded ; seeds small, globular — Spring and early 

 Summer — Sinai. 



2. OL.I]^US, Lceffl. Glinus. Ohuheirah. 



Sepals 5, equal. Petals or indefioite, nearly perigynous, strap- 

 shaped, often 2-3-fid. Stamens 3-20, inserted at the bottom of the 

 calyx, distinct or aggregated in groups. Styles 3-5, straight. Capsule 

 ovate-pentagou al, 3-5-grooved, incompletely 3-5-celled by means of 

 septa arising from valves. Seeds kidney-shaped, affixed to the central 

 angle of the cell ; caruncle entire — Annual, woolly herbs, with exstip- 

 ulate, alternate, pseudoverticillate leaves. 



1. O. lotO!de§, L. Ghuteirah. .3 to .5 ; stems prostrate, 

 forked, brauching. Leaves round-obovate to obloug-spathulate. Flow- 

 ers clustered at axils, with unequal pedicels ; sepals elliptical, nearly 

 muticous ; petals entire or bifid ; stamens 12 ; styles 5 — Summer — 

 Ditches and inundated places, along the coast. 



2. Cr. dictaiiiiioicle.4, L. Stems prostrate, forked, branch- 

 ing. Leaves small, orbicular to obovate, long-petioled. Flowers half 

 as large as in last, clustered in axils, with unequal pedicels ; sepals ob- 

 long, hooded, mucromilate, acute ; petals ; stamens 10 ; styles 3 — 

 Spring — Inundated places near Rasheiyah. 



Order XVIL P0RTUL.ACA€E.^. (Purslane Family). 



Herbs with siccculent leav'^^^, and regular^ unsymmetri- 

 cal flowers J the calyx lohes usually fewer than the petals ; 

 the stamens ojyposite the j/ctals, if of the same number^ hut 

 often indefimte — Calyx-lobes 2 (rarely 3) imbricated in the 

 bud. Petals 5 (rarely 4-6), (in ours) perigynous, slightly 

 connate at base, inserted on the calyx. Stamens adnate to 

 base of petals. Ovary (in ours) half adjiate to calyx-tube, 

 1-celled ; ovules many, amphitropous, affixed by free or 

 united funicles to a columnar, central placenta. Styles 5-6- 

 fid. Capsule membranous, (in ours) opening by a lid. Em- 

 bryo peripheral. 



PORTUL.ACA, L. Purslai^e. Boql. 



Calyx lobes 2, at length deciduous. Petals 4-6, inserted at top of 

 calyx-tube. Stamens 8-15, perigynous. 



P. oleracea, Purslane Boql. .2 to .5 glabrous, prostrate. 

 Leaves sessile, obovate-oblong. Flowers sessile in forks ; sepals un- 



