Sesuvium. FICOIDE^E. 251 



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It is mainly a tropical and subtropical family, of the Old "World. Our Pacific Coast has only 

 two indigenous representatives, both insignificant, and as many naturalized ones, which appear as 

 if wild on the sea-shore. 



* Calyx-tube aduate to the ovary : petals and stamens very numerous. 



1. Mesembryanthemum. Capsule 5-valved or more. Very fleshy. 



* * Ovary free : petals none : stamens few or many. 



2. Sesuvium. Calyx-lobes 5, petaloid. Stamens 5 to 60. Capsule circumscissile. Succulent. 



3. Mollugo. Sepals 5. Stamens 3 or 5. Capsule 3-valved. Not succulent. 



1. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM, Linn. ICE-PLANT. FIG-MARYGOLD. 



Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary; the lobes usually 5, unequal, foliaceous. Petals 

 very numerous, linear. Stamens innumerable, with slender filaments, inserted with 

 the petals on the tube of the calyx. Styles 4 to 20, usually 5. Capsule 4 20- 

 celled, dehiscing in a star-like manner at the depressed summit. Seeds minute, 

 very numerous. Fleshy herbs or shrubs, rarely annual ; leaves mostly opposite, 

 without stipules ; flowers mostly showy, terminal and in the forks of the branches. 



A genus of about 300 species, principally S. African, but a few found in the Mediterranean 

 region, Western S. America, and Australia. The Californian species are probably introduced. 



1. M. aequilaterale, Haworth. Perennial, with stout prostrate or ascending 

 stems and short ascending flowering branches : leaves very fleshy, opposite and 

 clasping, linear, acutely triangular, 1 to 3 inches long, smooth : flowers solitary, 

 red, pedicellate or nearly sessile, about 1^ inches in diameter : calyx-tube turbinate, 

 half an inch long or more, angled or terete ; the larger lobes often as long : stigmas 

 6 to 10. DC. Prod. iii. 429. 



On the sea-shore and in saline soils from San Diego to Punta de los Eeyes. Also in Chili and 

 abundant in Australia and Tasmania, and very similar to M. acinaciforme of S. Africa. Fruit 

 edible and pleasant, and the flowers very fragrant. 



2. M. crystallinum, Linn. Annual or biennial, diffusely procumbent, covered 

 with large white glistening papillae : leaves flat, fleshy, often alternate on the 

 branches, clasping, ovate or spatulate, undulate : flowers axillary, nearly sessile, 

 white or rose-colored : calyx-tube campanulate, terete, 4 or 5 lines long ; lobes ovate, 

 retuse or acute : stigmas 5. DC. Prodr. iii. 448. 



San Diego (Cleveland) ; Santa Cruz Island (Rothrock) ; collected also by Fremont. Apparently 

 identical with S. African specimens. 



2. SESUVIUM, Linn. SEA PURSLANE. 



Calyx-tube turbinate, free from the ovary ; the lobes 5, oblong-lanceolate, apic- 

 ulate on the back near the top, membranously margined, often colored within. 

 Petals none. Stamens 5, alternate with the lobes, or many, inserted at the top of 

 the calyx-tube. Styles 3 to 5. Capsule ovate-oblong, membranaceous, 3 5-celled, 

 circumscissile at the middle, many-seeded. Succulent smooth branching mostly 

 prostrate herbs, sometimes woody at base ; leaves opposite, linear to spatulate, 

 entire, without stipules or united by a stipule-like membrane ; flowers axillary and 

 terminal, solitary or clustered. 



About 4 species are known, frequenting the sea-coast and saline localities through the tropics 

 and warmer regions of the globe. 



1. S. Portulacastrum, Linn. Perennial : stems prostrate or ascending, herba- 

 ceous, often a foot long or more : leaves linear- to oblong-oblanceolate, to 1^ 

 inches long, acute or obtuse : flowers sessile or pedicellate : calyx 3 to 5 lines long ; 



