66 FLORA OF MADRAS. [Portulaca. 



Nodes without scales or hairs; leaves cuneate-oblong to linear, -3-1-5 in. 



long; flowers clustered 1. oleracea. 



Nodes surrounded by lanceolate scales ; leaves ovate-lanceolate ; flowers 



solitary 2. Wightiana. 



Nodes clothed with few or abundant hairs : 



Leaves lanceolate to ovate ; flowers solitary, half sunk in the enlarged 

 end of the pedicel and surrounded by 4 involucral leaves 



3. quadrifida. 



Leaves terete or linear ; flowers clustered ; abundant brown hairs 

 round the flowers and, usually, at the nodes : 



Stems many, diffuse from the top of a fusiform fleshy root ; leaves 



linear, margined; hairs plentiful and conspicuous 4. tuberosa. 



Stem erect from a stout branched annual root ; leaves terete ; 

 hairs short and inconspicuous 5. suffruticosa. 



1. PORTULACA OLERACEA, Linn. ; F. B. I. i. 246 ; W. & A. 356. 



In all dry Districts, a prostrate succulent herb. 



2. PORTULACA WIGHTIANA, Wall. ; F. B, I. i. 247 ; W. & A. 356. 



Dry Districts of the Deccan and Carnatic from the Goda- 

 vari southwards, usually on rocks and up to 2,500 ft. 



3. PORTULACA QUADRIFIDA, Linn. ; F. B. I. i. 247 ; Wt. 111. ii. 

 t. 109. 



Koadsides and waste places in most Districts. 



4. PORTULACA TUBEROSA, Eoxb. ; F. B. I. i. 247. 



Dry Districts of the S. Carnatic from S. Arcot to 

 Travancore. 



5. PORTULACA SUFFRUTICOSA, Wight ; F. B. I. i. 247 ; W. & A. 

 356. 



Carnatic Districts from Coimbatore and S. Arcot to 

 Travancore, up to 3,500 ft. 



2. Talinum, Adans. 



Succulent shrubs. Leaves flat, exstipulate. Floiuers panicled. 

 Petals 4-5, hypogynous. Stamens numerous. Ovary superior ; 

 style 3-fid ; ovules many. Capsule globose, 3-valved. Seeds 

 radiate-striate, strophiolate. 



TALINUM CUNEIFOLIUM, Willd. ; F. B. I. i. 247. T. indicum, 

 W. & A. 356. 



A small shrubby plant with obovate- cuneiform leaves, purple 

 flowers and pea-like fruit. 



Carnatic at " Chimmanackmoor " (Chinnanayakanur ?) (W, 

 & A.). 



