Trianthema 



FICOIDBACEJi 



167 



4. TRIANTHEMA L. 



Diffuse prostrate herbs. Leaves opposite, entii-e, the pair 

 unequal ; petiole long, with a sheathing base. Flowers axillary 

 with 2 bracteoles. Perianth with 5 lobes, mucronate near apex, 

 coloured inside. Stamens 5 to many. Ovary free, of one carpel 

 and one-celled (in W. Indian species) ; style one. Capsule one- 

 celled with 6-8 seeds, circumsciss, the lid closed incompletely at 



Fig. 62. — Trianthema Pcrtulacastrum L. 



A, Portion of shoot showing flower X 5. 



B, Ovary X 10. 



C, Upper part of fruit X 10. 



D, Do. cut lengthwise X 10. 



E, Seed in section X 10 ; «, endosperm ; 



c, cotyledons ; r, radicle. 



its base by a spurious transverse dissepiment, enclosing 1 

 seeds. Embryo annular. 



Species 17, widely distributed in the tropics. 



(or 2) 



T. Portulacastpum L. Sp. PI. 223 (1753); Urh. Symb. Ant. 

 iv. 231. T. monogyna L. Mant. 69 (1767) ; Griseh. Fl. Brit. 

 W. Ind. 58. Portulacse aflBnis, folio subrotundo &c. Sloane Cat. 

 89 & Hist. i. 205. Type in Herb. Mus. Brit. (Fig. 62.) 



