FOUQUIERACE^E. II. BRONNIA. PORTULACEjE. 



71 



erect. Stamens 10 ; filaments filiform, exserted ; anthers ovate. 

 Style exceeding the stamens. Cells of fruit 1-seeded when 

 mature. A spinose shrub, with fascicles of obovate-oblong, 

 membranous leaves in the axils of the spines. Flowers panicled, 

 scarlet. It differs from the last genus in the placentas being 

 drawn in more to the centre of the fruit. 



1 B. spiNdsA (H. B. et Kunth, 1. c.). Tj . S. Native of 

 Mexico. Echeveria paniculata, Moc. et Sesse, fl. mex. icon, 

 ined. Fouquiera spinosa, H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 3. 

 p. 452. Cantua spin6sa, Willd. in Roem. et Schultes, syst. 4. 

 p. 369. 



Spiny Bronnia. Tree 12 to 14 feet. 



Cult. See Fouquiera, p. 70. for culture and propagation. 



ORDER CX. PORTULA'CE^E (plants agreeing in impor- 

 tant characters with Portulaca). Juss. gen. p. 313. exclusive 

 of some genera. B.C. fl. fr. ed. S. vol. 4. p. 398. prod. 3. p. 

 351. St. Hil. pi. lib. p. 42. 



Calyx free, or somewhat adnate to the very base of the ova- 

 rium (f. 15. a. f. f. 18. a.), usually of 2 sepals (f. 16. a. f. 18. a.), 

 seldom of 3 or 5 (f.20. a.), cohering at the base. Petals usually 

 5 (f. 15. b. f. 17. &.), but sometimes 3-4-6, very rarely wanting 

 altogether, either distinct (f. 18. 6.), or cohering into a short 

 tube at the base (f. 1 5. b.), alternating with the sepals when the 

 number is equal. Stamens inserted along with the petals, irre- 

 gularly into the base of the calyx, and sometimes perhaps in the 

 torus, variable in number in the species of the same genus, all 

 fertile ; filaments distinct, adnate to the base of the petals (f. 

 15. g.), and usually opposite them where the number is equal ; 

 anthers ovate, 2-celled, opening lengthwise, versatile (f. 18. c.). 

 Ovarium one, usually roundish (f. 15. e.), 1-celled (f. 15. /.). 

 Style sometimes single, filiform, cleft into numerous stigmas 

 at the apex (f. 15. c.) ; sometimes wanting or nearly so; when 

 this is the case the stigmas are distinct (f. 17. c.), and rise 

 in numbers from the top of the ovarium. Capsule 1-celled, 

 opening either transversely (f. 15./.), or by the 3 valves from 

 the base to the apex ; but they are also occasionally 1-seeded 

 and indehiscent. Seeds numerous when the fruit is dehiscent, 

 attached to the central placenta (f. 15. /.). Albumen farina- 

 ceous. Embryo curved round the circumference of the albu- 

 men, with a long radicle, and oblong cotyledons. Fleshy 

 shrubs or herbs. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, entire, 

 usually succulent, without stipulas, or sometimes with membra- 

 nous ones on each side of the petioles. Flowers axillary or ter- 

 minal, usually expanding in the sun, and of short duration. 

 The 1-seeded genera of this order agree in character with the 

 order Paronychiece, and the apetalous genera with the order 

 Ficoidece. This order is related in nearly every point of view to 

 Caryophyllece, from which they scarcely kirt'er except in their 

 >erigynous stamens, which are opposite the petals when equal to 

 hem in number, and two sepals ; the latter character is not, 

 lowever, very constant. The presence of scarious stipulas in 

 several Portulacece, although perhaps an anomaly in the order, 

 ndicates their affinity with Paronychiece, from which the mono- 

 ipermous genera of Portulacece are distinguished by the want of 

 symmetry in their flowers, and by the stamens being opposite 

 :he petals, instead of the sepals. So close is the relationship 



between these orders, that several of the genus Ginginsia in Por- 

 tulacece have been referred to Pharnaceum in Caryophyllece, and 

 several Portulacece have been described by authors as belonging 

 to genera of Paronychiece. De Candolle remarks, that his Gin- 

 ginsia brevicaulis resembles certain species of Androsace, and 

 that Portulacece have been more than once compared to Primu- 

 lacece (mem. p. 14.), and the same author remarks in his prod. 

 3. p. 351. that the genera with definite stamens, and hairy 

 axillae approach Cdctece, while the apetalous genera tend towards 

 apetalous Ficoidece. 



Insipidity, want of smell, and a dull green colour, are the 

 usual qualities of this order, of which the only species of any 

 known use are common Purslane and Claytbnia perfolidta, which 

 resemble each other in properties. 



Synopsis of the genera. 



1 TRIA'NTHEMA. Sepals 5, concrete at the base, coloured. 

 Petals wanting. Stamens 5, rarely 10 or more. Styles or 

 stigmas 1-2, rarely 3. Capsule opening transversely. 



2 CYPSE'LEA. Calyx campanulate, 5-parted, coloured. Petals 

 none. Stamens 2-3. Style hardly any, bipartite, or probably 2 

 stigmas. Capsule opening transversely. 



3 PORTULA'CA. Calyx bipartite (f. 15. a.), at length falling 

 off. Petals 4-6, equal (f. 15. 6.), free or concrete at the base. 

 Stamens 8-15 (f. 15. .). Style one, 3-6 cleft at the apex (f. 15. 

 c.) ; or style wanting, and the stigmas 3-8 elongated. Cap- 

 sule opening transversely (f. 15./.). 



4 GRAHA'MIA. Calyx of 2 white permanent sepals, girded by 

 8-9 bracteas. Petals 5, obovate. Stamens numerous, united at 

 the very base. Style 1 ; stigmas 4-5, revolute. Capsule 1- 

 celled, 5-valved, many-seeded. Seeds compressed, winged. 



5 ANACA'MPSEROS. Sepals 2 (f. 16. a.), cohering at the base. 

 Petals 5 (f. 16. 6.), very fugaceous. Stamens 15-20 (f. 16. c.). 

 Style filiform, trifid at the apex (f. 16. d.). Capsule conical, 3- 

 valved (f. 16. c.). Seeds winged. 



6 TALI'NUM. Sepals 2 (f. 17. a.), deciduous. Petals 5 (f. 



17. b,\ free or somewhat concrete at the base. Stamens 10-20. 

 Style filiform, 3-cleft at the apex (f. 17. c.). Capsule 3-valved. 

 Seed wingless. 



7 LEWISIA. Calyx of 5 sepals. Petals 9-12. Stamens 12- 

 1 6, hypogynous. Style deeply 6-parted, with the segments fili- 

 form, and the stigmas obtuse. 



8 CALANDRI'NIA. Calyx 2-parted (f. 18. a.). Petals 3-5 (f. 



18. 6.), free or rather connate at the base. Stamens 4-15 (f. 18. 

 c.). Style one, very short, tripartite at the apex (f. 18. c.); 

 lobes clavate. Capsule oblong-elliptic, 3-valved. Seeds wing- 

 less. 



9 PORTULACA'RIA. Calyx of 2 sepals, membranous. Petals 

 5, permanent. Stamens 5, or probably 10, 5 of which are abor- 

 tive. Style wanting; stigmas 3, spreading, glandular. Fruit 

 triquetrous, winged, indehiscent, 1-seeded. 



10 U'LLUCUS. Sepals 2, coloured, deciduous. Petals 5, con- 

 nected into a very short tube at the base. Stamens 5, short. 

 Style filiform ; stigma simple. Capsule 1-celled, 1-seeded. 



